


Bad Brew (or, the Prerogative of Mercy)

by Barfily



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alpha Choi Seungcheol | S.Coups, Alpha Chwe Hansol | Vernon, Alpha Lee Chan | Dino, Alpha Lee Seokmin | DK, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Breeding, M/M, Mpreg, Nipple Play, Omega Boo Seungkwan, Omega Kwon Soonyoung | Hoshi, Omega Lee Jihoon | Woozi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-02
Updated: 2020-04-20
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:34:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 19,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22082041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Barfily/pseuds/Barfily
Summary: Dino has an unusual rut, and forcibly tries to breed the three omegas in Seventeen.
Relationships: Boo Seungkwan/Chwe Hansol | Vernon, Boo Seungkwan/Lee Chan | Dino, Choi Seungcheol | S.Coups/Lee Jihoon | Woozi, Kwon Soonyoung | Hoshi/Lee Chan | Dino, Kwon Soonyoung | Hoshi/Lee Seokmin | DK, Lee Chan | Dino/Lee Jihoon | Woozi
Comments: 60
Kudos: 267





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> I call Dino by his stage name here because I feel like I'm doing him pretty dirty by making him the villain. This is just for fun, I have no beef with Dino, if I could've gotten away with using an OC in this fic, I would've.
> 
> For your reference:  
Alphas: Seungcheol, Jeonghan, Mingyu, Seokmin, Hansol, Dino  
Betas: Joshua, Jun, Wonwoo, Minghao  
Omegas: Soonyoung, Jihoon, Seungkwan

Soonyoung is an omega, so he could call Dino _oppa_ if he wanted.

(He doesn't.)

_Dino-ssi_ would be more appropriate. It's how most omegas address alphas, regardless of age or experience, and what all omegas outside of Seventeen call Dino. 

"You prepared something to show us today, right _Dino-ssi_?" even an omega as cheeky and irreverent as Don Hee will ask.

Not Seventeen. Well, sometimes their omegas will use it, but not for Dino. For hyungs like Seungcheol and Jeonghan. Once Joshua said that alphas in America are addressed as _Big Man_ and that floated around as an inside joke for a while, because it was hilarious. But that's it, really.

Back when Dino turned twenty, an official adult, he had hoped that they'd start using -ssi more often, but nothing changed. Nothing changed when he started taking on more of the choreography and teaching it to them, either. 

Yes, he's the youngest, but he's an adult now, and he's an alpha. He deserves – not the same respect as his hyungs, but _some_ respect. 

"We're out of space in the alpha room," staff says. "Dino, can you sleep with the omegas?"

Fine. 

His reaction – that being asked to do that is an insult to him as an alpha and as a man – is bratty and he knows it, so he tries to keep it to himself. He smiles and agrees. 

"Aah, our reliable Dino-ssi," Soonyoung says, like Dino is doing them a great favor. His attempt to make Dino feel better is painfully obvious, but it helps, a little.

At least until Jihoon snickers, repeating it under his breath in openly mocking sarcasm, "_Dino-ssi_."

Dino glares.

The staff must notice the slight tension, too, because one of them takes Dino to the side and quietly asks if his rut is getting close. 

Yes, Dino is close to his rut. He hadn't realized until they asked. 

He opens his mouth to answer, but in the second it takes for words to come out, he considers two things. 

One, is that Soonyoung and Seokmin aren't allowed to room together anymore, after a few – incidents. He's the other 'safe' alpha they place with the omegas. They'd have to be out of their minds to room Seungkwan with either Hansol or Mingyu, and the rest of the alphas are just too old, their most senior hyungs – it would be wildly inappropriate. Dino is really their only choice for the omega room, and if he says he can't, probably their next plan will be to send one alpha to sleep in the van, or something. Dino doesn't think it needs to come to that. He can control himself. Dino's ruts are notoriously easy and light. 

Two, is Jihoon's sarcastic, sharp little grin. Taunting Dino. 

_Dino-ssi_.

"No," he lies with an easy smile. 

He thinks the staff can probably tell it's not the truth, but they don't want the additional hassle either, and they trust him.

They'll be sharing a room for a week, downtime between the promotions they just finished, and an upcoming performance. They’re essentially unsupervised, left to fill the days on their own. There's no schedule, they don't have to film their breakfasts or night time rituals or VLive or anything. 

The omega room Dino drops his luggage off in has two beds, that will be shared between the four of them. When trying to settle on bedmates, they decide to rotate through them each night, pairing Soonyoung and Jihoon on one, and Seungkwan and Dino on the other.

Dino tsks to himself when he hears his name next to Seungkwan's. 

_Seventeen has such cute omegas!_ people say. Dino can't disagree. They're very cute, but Dino wishes these people could spend just thirty minutes with them, sometimes. They're his hyung, so he can't call them brats, but. But. 

Well, he just doesn't know how Hansol puts up with it. Seungkwan's – attitude! He's in a huffy puffy bad mood when they go to bed that night, because of something not even _Dino_ said, it was Wonwoo, and Dino just _laughed_. But Seungkwan has both pillows on the bed, and won't share, rolling all the way toward the wall, hoarding them.

"Come on!" Dino protests. 

"_Apologize_ to your hyung," Seungkwan demands, prissily, like he's playing it up for a camera that's not even in the room. 

"Sorry, hyung," Dino mutters. 

After a beat of trying to decide if that was good enough, Seungkwan throws him a pillow without warning. The tag catches him in the eye. 

Dino hisses, sitting upright, cradling the side of his face.

"Ahh.. sorry," Seungkwan says, cringing in sympathy. "Sorry, really..."

"Why can't you just act like an omega??" Dino growls. 

The room goes quiet. 

At first he thinks it's just what he said. He comes from a more traditional home than some of the others, who get very, very rankled whenever they hear that kind of sentiment. Especially Soonyoung. He’s ready to apologize, again, when he actually clocks in on the level of tension in the room. It's not anger. It’s like everyone's holding their collective breath – 

Dino used his alpha voice. 

Seungkwan's mouth has gone soft and slack, his pupils growing fat and responsive at the sound. Jihoon and Soonyoung were caught by it, too, and they both watch Dino, entranced. Like there's no one else in the room. In the world. 

Alpha voices are prohibited in Pledis – like it would be in any company. Staff can use it on one another sparingly, but he's only ever heard it used on the members twice – once at Soonyoung because he wasn't following instructions fast enough for the staff member. Another at Jihoon, to 'help him relax' before an interview. Both staff members who used it were fired on the spot. 

Members are under the same restriction, but there have been understandable mistakes. They're growing up. They don't know themselves. Dino has only ever used it a few times before this, he didn't really mean to use it now.

Dino looks between all three of them, then quickly, before he can even think about doing anything else, turns off the light and goes to bed, leaving them to get their composure back in privacy.

He tries not to pay attention to the sweet way Seungkwan cuddles up beside him that night, needy, nuzzling plaintively in a way he never, _ever_ is with Dino, like he's trying to apologize, trying to please the alpha he angered. 

He won't feel the same in the morning.

–

As expected, no one says anything about Dino's slip the next day. 

Seungkwan is especially clingy with Hansol, though. He's practically on his lap all through breakfast, resting his chin on Hansol's shoulder, fixated on the futile task of straightening his bedhead. Once dishes are collected, they disappear together the rest of the day. 

Jihoon appears to be avoiding Dino, but Soonyoung makes a point of being nice. He sits with Dino at breakfast, shares the couch with him as they watch television, touchy and affectionate. 

He probably assumes Dino is embarrassed by last night.

Dino's not. 

He'd take it back if he could, but if anything he's afraid of the reaction he had to it. 

How much he liked it. 

How much, specifically, he liked Soonyoung's open, passive expression. Soonyoung's appeal goes back and forth between cute and sexy. Cute is wild and childish, sexy is reserved and cool. Last night was something new, something in-between the two. Something on the cute side, but it stirred deep in Dino, striking where the sexy usually sits. 

If Dino was a different sort of alpha, last night would've gone very differently. He can imagine taking advantage of Soonyoung's reaction, how it would look to push Soonyoung back on the bed, hearing what sort of sweet little sounds he would make as Dino touched him. Investigated the warmth between his legs, the tender spots there with his fingers and tongue. Tasted him. 

He's thinking about all this as Soonyoung rests his head on Dino's shoulder. He feels like a monster, but he also feels. Powerful. 

His rut is coming, and he knows it's only going to make these specific feelings even stronger. Make him think of this sort of thing with even more intensity. He takes a deep breath and resolves to practice strict self control.

He shares a bed with Soonyoung that night. 

Soonyoung is deep sleeper, and very clingy, which is what led to the incident with Seokmin. 

Dino doesn't instigate it, he just doesn't prevent it from happening. Soonyoung throws his leg over Dino's hip, and this position can't help but open Soonyoung's body to him. All Dino has to do is shifts, just slightly, and he's there. He's right there, in one of the softest places on Soonyoung's body, pressing into the long stretch of his inner thighs, toned, but plush. Then between that. His dick. It's smaller than Dino's, of course, he's an omega. The feel of it against Dino's stirs a very primal, urgent reaction. Omega. _Omega_. There's a warm, willing omega pressed against him. Every so often in sleep, Soonyoung makes the attempt to close his thighs, which just tightens them on Dino's hips – it feels like an omega trying to pull him in closer. 

Dino breathes in Soonyoung's scent at his neck, and almost without thinking, his hand lightly, lightly traces down the side of Soonyoung's body. His ribs, his narrow middle, his hips, his plump ass. 

Soonyoung seems to like the faint touch, sighing. Taking it as encouragement, Dino bites his lip and grips Soonyoung's ass properly, cupping his cheek, testing the fullness of it. God. Firm and tight and Dino can't help moaning quietly, under his breath. 

He wants to feel both cheeks, he wants to pull them apart, he wants to rub and push inside Soonyoung the way omegas are meant to be used.

Slick.

Dino's eyes, which had been closed during this exploration of Soonyoung's body, open. Soonyoung must have _really_ liked Dino's touches, because he can smell the rawest, purest version of Soongyoun's scent now, he's growing wet and it's a distinct scent Dino recognizes instinctively, something he never knew that he knew.

Fingers shaking for just a moment in pure, primal _want_, Dino carefully, gently, slips his hand under the waistband of Soonyoung's pajamas. He waits there for a moment, relishing the feel of Soonyoung's impossibly smooth skin, and watching for any reaction.

Soonyoung just breathes. His mouth is open slightly in sleep, expression lax. 

Pretty. That's what it is. The place between cute and sexy Dino couldn't identify before. 

Soonyoung is a very pretty omega. 

A pretty omega who has become wet for Dino. 

Emboldened, Dino pets down Soonyoung's hip, up and around the swell of his ass, then finally. He slips his fingers between Soonyoung's cheeks, feeling the moisture there. His pooling slick. Wild, pure excitement grips Dino as he feels it against his fingertips, like Christmas morning, waking up to find piles and piles of presents. Soonyoung _is_ wet for him.

This touch is too much, and Soonyoung's eyes start to flutter, a low noise in his throat, like he's struggling to wake up. 

Panicking, Dino does – something not quite as bad as an alpha voice, but certainly nothing Seungcheol would approve of, not like this. 

He rumbles. A low tone of comfort. Rumbling won't really work unless there's already a bond between the omega hearing it and the alpha making the noise, but of course Soonyoung trusts Dino. He loves Dino. He hears an alpha he loves rumbling for him, feels that alpha touching him, between his thighs, making him feel good enough to leak, and he sighs deep, relaxing again, nuzzling his pillow. He must know that he's safe, that it's only good for Dino to be touching him like this, because he also starts spreading his legs more. Pressing his hips forward, into Dino's. Soonyoung's growing stiff. Dino bites his own lip, and pushes his fingers down, deeper between Soonyoung's cheeks. He's not going to enter Soonyoung, he just wants – he just wants to feel as much as he can. He reaches Soonyoung's hole, it's warm and relaxed and welcoming. 

It takes a profound amount of self control, a degree of it Dino didn't even know he was capable of, to grit his teeth and move past it without pushing his fingers inside.

He rumbles again, and his fingers travel forward, to the spot behind Soonyoung's balls, a soft stretch of skin. He presses there, softly.

"_Oh_," Soonyoung sighs out, face creasing in what someone might think is pain, if they didn't know what Dino's fingers were doing, if they didn't see the encouraging roll of Soonyoung's hips.

Okay. This is enough. This is way too much, really. If Seokmin saw this it would be a truly dangerous situation, and it's the thought of the other alpha that gives Dino the final nudge to pull his hands out of Soonyoung's pants, rumbling to carry Soonyoung through it. Soonyoung seems distressed as Dino slides out of bed, but he needs to use the restroom, badly. 

Fingers wet from Soonyoung, Dino breathes it in, and licks them clean of the delicious, glistening wet, and jerks off, coming so hard he has to bite down on his hand to keep it to himself. 

– 

Soonyoung is quiet the next morning, blushing for no reason, and thankfully Seokmin's the only one who notices, asking whispered, teasing questions instead of bringing it to the entire table's attention. 

Soonyoung probably assumes he had a dream, or something. Dino watches Soonyoung whisper something to Seokmin, not realizing how blatant his stare is until he sees Jihoon noticed. 

He smirks just long enough to let Dino know he's been caught, then goes back to eating without a word.

Dino sets his jaw, and focuses on his own plate the rest of breakfast.

Feeling confident and boisterous, full of energy, and a little frustrated that he can't direct it anywhere he _wants_ to, Dino spends most of the day challenging Seungcheol and Mingyu in games. They're feeling competitive too, in a way only alphas can really get with one another - they're aggressive, going hard, not bothering with any apologies or excuses for mistakes or when they get too rough. After dinner, the viciousness makes sense: Dino's rut hits. 

There's no scent, but Dino knows this feeling of being roasted alive, wanting to rip off his clothes, run into the wild as fast as he can if only to feel some cool relief. Even after his exhausting day, he still wants action, wants to do something, even if it's just jogging around the parking lot. He's looking for any excuse to generate that action, and it makes him harsh and merciless.

Tonight, Dino's bedmate is Jihoon.

Even with the rut making him stir-crazy and agitated, he could've let it all go, except Jihoon wanted to tease him just one more time. 

"Sleep well, _Dino-ssi_." Jihoon pulls his blanket up to his chin. He's pleased with himself, daring Dino to do something about his blatant sarcasm, knowing he will not.

Jihoon puts a lot of blame on the way he's treated by others on the fact that he's short. Dino always feels a little smug about this, because Dino isn't that much taller. But the difference between Jihoon's body and Dino's is clear. Even working out as much as Jihoon does, even trying his hardest, his frame will never be as broad as Dino's. 

Jihoon will never be able to carry three of his teammates on his back the way Dino can. He'll never be picked as one of the strongest, he'll never go head to head against Seungcheol in arm wrestling or thigh wrestling. 

Jihoon can fight it all he wants, but he's everything nature wants a baby omega to be. Tiny, delicate, cute. 

Maybe one day, if he's lucky, his looks will mature enough to be called pretty. But handsome is never going to be on the table for him. His height has almost nothing to do with it. 

Dino knows that even if these thoughts are true, they are vengeful, bitter, angry. A lot of it is the rut. He can't help it.

"Sleep well, Hoonie-ya."

Jihoon opens his eyes, then narrows them, suspicious. Soonyoung might call Jihoon that. Even Jeonghan might. Dino would not. The conflict on whether or not to reach plays out on Jihoon's face. 

"You know I heard you last night," Jihoon says, not joking anymore. "With Soonyoung."

"Heard what?"

"Your rumbling," his voice drops as he says this, eyes darting past Dino, probably to the next bed over, to make sure they're sleeping through this. 

"Why didn't you say anything?" Dino asks. He's got a pretty good guess. When Jihoon doesn't defend himself, just glares, he knows for sure. "Ah. You liked it."

Jihoon flushes, glaring harder. Of course he did. He's an omega. Dino's an alpha. He can't help it. He responded just the same as Soonyoung did, probably, relaxing into a pleased little Jihoon puddle as Dino got his fingers wet with Soonyoung's slick.

Dino shifts close to Jihoon, smirking when Jihoon flinches back on instinct. 

Dino doesn't do anything bad, though. He just gets close enough to feel Jihoon's body heat. And then he rumbles. 

He's never done this in a sexual context, every other time, it was just as a comfort, and he didn't realize how different the two really were, but he can feel it in himself. Like it's a different knob being turned, different air being fed up his throat, something that's full of intent and aggression. 

He rumbles, low and long, a sound just for Jihoon.

Jihoon's breath catches. He stares, and his mouth actually quivers once, like he's going to try to say something but can't figure out what, before shutting it tight.

He rolls over to face the wall, as far away from Dino as he can get, and doesn't move the rest of the night.

–

The next morning Jihoon takes his breakfast and goes back to the room, refusing to socialize the entire day. 

– 

Seungkwan's in Dino's bed again. Obviously still embarrassed over what happened last time, Seungkwan gives Dino plenty of space in the bed. There's no teasing, Seungkwan just diverts his gaze to the ground and says a simple 'good night.'

To Dino's rut-wild mind, this is – incredibly pleasing. It can only be seen as Seungkwan's deference, a quiet show of submission. 

This omega was unruly, but he was scolded, and now he's become obedient. This makes the heat rise, and Dino's inner alpha is purring, instincts saying to reward the omega. 

The lights go out, and Dino rumbles again. He starts out trying to comfort, but his own interest, his own balled up want, how pretty Seungkwan is, how nice he smells, has it shifting over. 

Seungkwan's back is to him, and he watches it stiffen in surprise. As it keeps going, he eventually rolls onto his back, looking at Dino for answers.

Before he can ask, Dino mouths at Seungkwan's neck, and Seungkwan's breath hitches in surprise. 

Dino growls, pleased, as he does what he really, very rarely ever gets a chance to do: relish Seungkwan's sweet, sweet scent. It's more complex than it appears at first, just a tease of it passing by makes a person think of a decadent dessert, but now Dino can take in the musky elements, the floral tones, too – it's warm, and delicious, and Dino's nearly buzzing, latching onto this partner and proud of himself for getting such a desirable omega beneath him.

"Dino," Seungkwan breathes out, voice weak. His hands rest on Dino's shoulders, and they're shaking. 

"Omega," Dino says, and licks up Seungkwan's neck. 

"Shit," Seungkwan whimpers. His legs are spread, and Dino's not sure when it happened, but he slid between them, and he's rutting down against him, rocking his cock, hard and fat with his rut, against Seungkwan's stiff dick. Seungkwan is bigger than he would expect for an omega, then he remembers that Seungkwan nearly classified as a beta. It was just the right turn of the breeze and chance that had him landing on the omega side when it came time to present. 

Dino growls, deep in his throat – the memory alone is a challenge. Like the past is attempting to take away his omega. No. This is _his_ omega, his _omega_. 

Seungkwan whimpers again in response, a noise of submission, agreement – he's promising that he's not going anywhere. He'll stay right beneath Dino, spread open and obedient, like a good omega, until he takes Dino's seed. 

Fuck. Yes. He's going to fuck this omega. Despite this touching and humping, Dino hadn't really conceptualized the end goal, and it comes in a hot, brilliant epiphany. He can see it now clearly, Seungkwan's ass in the air, presenting, his hole stretched wide and wet as Dino fucks into him, again and again. 

He's going to get this omega fat, rounded with his baby. He's so round and fertile and ready, everything about him says he's a perfect mate, he's already getting slick, Dino can smell it, and feel it, dampening the pants he's still wearing. He growls, again, displeased at anything having the gall to prevent access to his omega. Seungkwan should be ready, and spread, and waiting, always. Dino should always be able to simply push Seungkwan's legs apart and sniff and lick whatever he likes. 

He grips Seungkwan's pajamas, and rips, and even he knows the feeling of victory he gets from this is frankly ludicrous, but he can't help it. There's his omega's dick, and his fat ass cheeks, and they're all wet and dripping and the scent comes in a strong, enticing wave, enough to strike in Dino's gut in pure arousal.

He digs in.

Seungkwan cries out as Dino takes in his cock, swallowing it down, just to get a taste, licking it clean from the precome that's been steadily leaking down the shaft. He kisses the side in fond farewell as he moves lower than that, spreading Seungkwan's cheeks licking the wet, pooling slick.

He groans, loving the taste, digging his tongue in at the source, Seungkwan's tight hole, which clenches down hard to try to prevent access, then loosens as Dino pushes through anyway.

"Oh god – oh my god," Seungkwan is sobbing, and Dino can feel his body contorting on the mattress, his back arching, both hands on Dino's head, clinging for support.

"_Dino_!" 

Soonyoung. From the sound of his shout, he's been trying to get Dino's attention for a while now. He blinks, and looks over. Both Soonyoung and Jihoon have finally woken up, staring at the scene in shock.

"Dino, you need to calm down, your rut – "

Dino stops listening. There's not even a moment where he confuses the two of them as a threat. They're omegas, and he knows that down in the most basest part of himself. 

Dino licks his lips, then looks down at Seungkwan. He's a mess. He's flushed, breathless, and tears have started running down his cheeks.

An omega should always look like this, he thinks. 

He should make the other two omegas look like this.

"Come here," he says, using his alpha voice. Then, to Seungkwan, "Hands and knees."

Seungkwan moans as he does as he's told, still wearing his oversized hoodie. Socks still on his feet as he curls his toes. 

He's sweet, everything about Seungkwan is sweet, and his perfect ass high in the air is the sweetest. Dino didn't intend to do this, but he can't help digging in again, stroking Seungkwan's dick with his free hand, swirling deep inside Seungkwan's hole until Seungkwan is squealing, legs spread wide on the bed, trembling, cock leaking steadily. 

What a good omega, Dino is struck by this undeniable fact once again. To be so wet and ready for his alpha's attentions, so responsive, so obedient, so healthy and pink. He gives Seungkwan's ass a pleased pat, wishing he had something he could stuff in there in the meantime, something to fill this omega properly – he deserves it. 

"Be good," he says, as comforting as he can, letting him know he'll get his reward soon. "Wait for me."

Soonyoung is the only one who listened to the alpha command, he's climbed onto the bed and is sitting there on his knees, obviously uncertain. 

He looks between Seungkwan and Dino, expression creased in worry, and Dino rumbles softly, bringing Soonyoung in for a kiss, not wanting him to be distressed. It's okay. Dino has everything under control. He's going to fill Soonyoung up, too. 

Really, that's probably the most important thing Dino could be doing. 

This omega is not a threat, but Dino's had to defer to this omega, this omega is called his team leader. In his rut, this is utter nonsense. No, he needs to put Soonyoung in his place, make sure Soonyoung smells like Dino, shivering and marked up from being handled by Dino, so everyone in the room – the world itself – will know that Soonyoung is Dino's omega. 

The very thought of Soonyoung carrying his young gets him groaning, kissing harder into Soonyoung's mouth, then down to his neck, impatient and excited to see it. 

Mmm, Soonyoung's scent. 

He knows this smell almost better than his own, Soonyoung is always generous with it. He smells so clean, like fresh rain, and something that makes Dino think of flowers with huge, floppy, white petals. 

"Dino,"

"Dino-ssi," Dino corrects.

"Dino-ssi," Soonyoung repeats, obediently, voice shaking, as Dino mouths at his throat, teeth leaving behind red and pink marks on skin that's so dewy and clean. Pretty. He's so pretty, pretty, pretty. 

"Are you going to carry pretty omegas for me?" Dino asks, holding Soonyoung by his hips, keeping him there, and still, as Dino thrusts against him. Showing how hard he's become, how impressive the cock between his legs is, how much pleasure it can bring Soonyoung. "Pretty omegas like you?"

"Ah," Soonyoung gasps, feeling Dino's cock and responding the way an omega should, arms going around Dino's shoulders, clinging.

"Or can you carry strong alphas for me?" Dino asks. Soonyoung whines. He'll carry whatever Dino puts in him, he'll be a good omega, growing big and heavy.

Dino feels more confident now, enough to take his time as he slides off Soonyoung's pants. Just his pants, because he likes how that looks, when he gets the two of them, Seungkwan and Soonyoung, side by side in their over-sized shirts, crying and overwhelmed as Dino has his way with them. 

He spreads Soonyoung's slick around with his fingers, then pushes inside, watching how it makes Soonyoung's hips jump in response. He opens Seungkwan with his other hand, and the sound of their moans as he stretches them, gets them ready for his cock, has the alpha in him going almost rabid with the need to fuck into at one of them, soon. 

But there's another.

Dino can smell him. He leaves the bed, to get the omega who didn't do as he was told. 

Jihoon's scent is light, easily missed, and Dino didn't actually realize he knew it as well as he did until he walked into Jihoon's studio after a long while of being away. It's the scent of yellow apples, and something herbal and sweet. The combination always makes Dino think of apple cider. 

Jihoon has pressed against the furthest wall. He's been watching this play out, and Dino can smell what kept Jihoon from climbing on the bed alongside Soonyoung. It wasn't just stubbornness. It's fear. 

As Dino approaches, Jihoon shows his little teeth, growling, backing away – if he had gone to the right, he would've reached the door, and possibly escaped. But he didn't. He's moving on instinct, not reasoning, and went left, got himself stuck in a corner, trapped. 

Really, how can Jihoon get mad that people find him cute? When he reacts like this? As soon as he realizes he has nowhere to go, the little growl stops with a hiccup, his eyes go as wide as he can make them, shoulders pitching up. It makes Dino want to scare him, just to soothe him. 

Dino scoops him up in his arms, easily, and carries him to the bed.

Jihoon's body is harder than it looks like it would be. He has done his best to work away all the softness and fat in his arms and chest. He's lean, though, he simply doesn't have the bulk to change that. 

Dino drops Jihoon on the bed, stripping him completely, leaving him naked and vulnerable. Even surrounded by the overwhelming scent of pleasured omegas and rutting alpha, Jihoon is not swayed. He still tries to curl in on himself, hide away. He tries to growl again, but it's a hitching, weak little noise that only makes Dino moan in sympathy.

Dino crawls on top and over him, on his hands and knees, and rumbles. If it impacts Jihoon this time, he hides it well, staying curled into a defensive little ball. Just before Dino gives up completely, Jihoon starts relaxing, just a bit. Uncurling enough for Dino to lower his body on top of his. 

He keeps rumbling loud and steady, not giving Jihoon a break to compose himself, swamping Jihoon's mind with Dino, until Dino's all he'll be able to smell and sense and see, and the fact makes Jihoon purr with pleasure. 

But Dino's not going to fuck this one. 

He already knows, this little omega, though very cute, is not ready. He's too tart and unripe. 

Even when he starts responding to Dino's rumble, he shies away from the shape of Dino's cock with a whine, like it's a threat, like it's something scary, to be hidden away. He doesn't want it, not like the other two. 

Dino won't force his cock inside this omega, he won't make his stomach swell with his baby. 

Dino nuzzles down Jihoon's throat, scenting without his mouth, the way an alpha would for a very young omega. This inspires a deeply pleasurable idea, and Dino rumbles again at the thought. 

"Dino oppa," Dino says.

Jihoon blinks his fogged up eyes, staring at Dino in confusion.

"Call me oppa," Dino prompts. 

Jihoon mouths it once, like it's a word in another language. 

Dino laughs softly, amused at how dazed Jihoon's become. Fine. He can work on that later, when Seungkwan and Soonyoung aren't presenting for him, stretched and ready for him to drive inside. 

He gives Jihoon a parting kiss on his forehead, and focuses back on his targets, who wait, watching with hungry eyes. It's not fair, but Dino has a deep, personal craving for Soonyoung, so he's the one he grabs first, and pulls into his lap.

Still wet and stretched, Soonyoung straddles him and starts sinking slowly onto Dino's cock, like he's been craving it, too. 

"Fuck..." Dino growls out in his alpha voice, and it makes each omega present shiver, Jihoon curling up next to Seungkwan in the spot Soonyoung left behind, both of them watching as Soonyoung lowers himself with graceful, instinctive little motions of his hips. 

He takes cock so well. Dino murmurs in quiet appreciation of how well this omega has been trained, how he takes Dino in deep, eyes fluttering shut as he goes.

"Good, Soonyoung, so good... " Dino praises, and keeps going, talking about what a pretty, perfect omega Soonyoung is, how Dino can't wait to fill him up, until Soonyoung's flush against Dino's hips, as deep as he can get, and tips his head back and sobs toward the ceiling at how good he feels.

"So – ahh. Dino-ssi, you're so – big," he cries, trying to catch his breath, chest heaving. 

Dino hums in pleasure at this perfect picture on his lap, the tight, hot perfection around his cock, and bounces his hips. Soonyoung stops breathing for a moment, entire body tensing in response. Then a second later he's crying out, hips rolling, up and down. It's frustrating because Dino wants to fuck him, wants to tip him on his back and thrust hard, make Soonyoung scream, but it's such a pretty show, he can't help but watch. He runs his hands up and down Soonyoung's thighs, digging his nails in at his hips, at his ass, scratching and delighting in Soonyoung's shivering cries in response. 

Dino's cock is so good it doesn't seem like Soonyoung will ever tire of riding it, blissed out of his mind, moaning out his pleasure shamelessly, so finally Dino has to still the motion of Soonyoung's hips. He thrusts up, hard enough to make Soonyoung _wail_, and rolls him onto his back. 

Soonyoung comes quickly like this, mouth falling open in a silent scream, legs wrapped tight around Dino's waist.

Dino watches the flush and the sweat on Soonyoung's face. Should he knot this one? This one, or the next one? He wants Soonyoung knotted, he wants to see him pregnant more. He wants it as a personal point of pride. 

But there's something more primal about Seungkwan, something that's really asking for a knot. Maybe it's just because he's seen thw ay Seungkwan gets around children. Or maybe he just smells more fertile. 

He could easily knot Soonyoung, and has to put in the effort to hold it back as he comes, thrusting again and again, especially rough, to take the edge off, as he comes. He tries telling himself that maybe Soonyoung will get pregnant anyway, but has to stop that line of thought quickly, as it makes his cock twitch, thickening almost immediately, threatening a knot.

He pulls out, and Soonyoung whimpers, so Dino spends another moment nuzzling his neck, scenting him, sucking evidence of his claim into his neck. 

And now Seungkwan. 

Dino licks his lips, his cock hot and wet and gummy from being inside Soonyoung, swaying heavy between his legs, as he crawls toward Seungkwan. 

Seungkwan is not impressed. He looks at Dino approaching, then looks away. He's pouting. He's grooming Jihoon's hair.

He's upset about having been made to wait as long as he did, and in that instant, it clicks. Why Hansol can put up with it. 

Because in that instant, the sight of Seungkwan's little, _playing hard to get, I'm not going to make this easy for you_ pout, combined with that sweet, fertile scent, it lights a fire in Dino so intense it nearly makes his hands shake. 

Growling low in his throat, he grabs Seungkwan's ankle, and drags him forward.

"No," Seungkwan protests, kicking with his other leg. It's for show. Dino can smell it. Seungkwan only got hotter and wetter watching Dino with Soonyoung. "_Noo_," he whines, and keeps whining, up until Dino gets his fingers in him, working him back open. Then it turns into whimpers.

"I saved my knot for you," Dino whispers into his ear as he works. "I'm going to fuck you wide open, Seungkwannie. You're going to be stuck on me until you're knocked up. You're going to get so heavy and big. Everyone will know what a good omega you are, that you carried your alpha's pup... "

Seungkwan sobs out something that might have been "shut up" but his hips are working down on Dino's fingers like he can't get enough, like he wants _more_, thicker, _now_.

"Okay," Dino soothes, lining himself up. "Okay, I'll give you want you want. You've been so good. A good omega like you deserves to be full all the time, doesn't he?"

Seungkwan sniffles and nods quickly. So Dino does just that. He has Seungkwan on his back, gripping his ass with both hands, digging his nails in, feeling like he's going to go crazy from how soft and perfect it feels, how amazing the slap of his hips against Seungkwan's cheeks are. It's so lewd, it's the hottest thing he's ever experienced in real life, and he knows regardless of anything else that happens, he will be remembering this – the way Seungkwan's ass felt as he fucked it, and the way Seungkwan cried like he was grateful for it as Dino fucked him, and then knotted him, and whispered filthy promises of what that would mean. 

–

The smell in the hall alone tells Seungcheol that this isn't going to be good. 

They got a call from the hotel, saying that something needed to be done about the omega room, and they weren't going to be risking any of the hotel staff to investigate. It would be up to the pack leader, Seungcheol. 

He's not mated to any of the omegas, but he feels protective of them, and that fact starts coming to life in him as he gets closer to the room. He can smell sex. He knows the smell of an omega who's been fucked, and he knows the smell of his members.

_What did Dino **do?**_

But reason is there, too. And he knows his biggest concern should be keeping Hansol and Seokmin out of the room. It's too late for that, though, they already caught wind of the scent and nothing is going to stop them.

Seungcheol opens the door. 

Naked flesh is the first thing he sees. They're omegas, so his first instinct is to respect their privacy and look away. But the omegas aren't the only naked ones in the room.

Dino, on the bed. Seungkwan beneath him, legs over Dino's shoulders. Dino's cock – the angle, combined with just how deep Dino is wedged inside means the only way this makes sense is if they're knotted together. He's leaning back enough that he should be slipping out. There's also Seungkwan's expression, floating and lax. He looks drugged. That's a knotted omega.

Soonyoung – the other bed. Closer to the door, Seokmin is already there, looking him over. 

Jihoon – on the same bed as Dino, half hidden by their bodies. Seungcheol's eyes fly over the scene, trying to make sense of it.

"You – knotted him??" Hansol demands, voice strained, horrified, stepping closer to the bed.

Dino's response is utterly feral, bearing his teeth, snarling. 

He's deep in his rut, which doesn't make sense, because Dino's rut has _never_ been this bad. This is bad enough that the stink of it immediately goes to Seungcheol's head, too, and he finds himself growling in return. 

He smells Seungkwan, Soonyoung, Jihoon – his. His members. In danger. He needs to put this rebelling alpha on his back, and he's surging forward to do that, and the only thing that stops him is Seungkwan's pitiful cry, arms wrapped around Dino's shoulders.

He's still knotted. Seungcheol steps back from the bed. He can't do anything to Dino until the knot goes down. He paces, furious. 

Seokmin and Hansol are going mad with the same frustration, Seokmin is standing in front of Soonyoung, entire body tense with a kind of rage that means a fight meant to spill blood. 

Jihoon. Jihoon doesn't have an alpha, which means he's fully Seungcheol's. His responsibility to pull him out of this mess. 

Jihoon hasn't reacted at all to their appearance, he's curled himself up into a tight ball, hiding his face in his knees, heads over his head. The stench and the pheromones from all this must be terrifying. Seungcheol reaches for him, at least, but Dino snarls viciously. 

Seungcheol growls back, louder, furious, and it makes Seungkwan cry again. 

It's a mess. Seungcheol knows it, rationally, but it's a quiet, inconsequential knowledge, distant and unimportant. His emotions are a storm, raging wild, wanting action _NOW_.

"Seungcheol." Joshua's calm voice is like water, cool and sobering. He's looking over the madness from the doorway. "You need to leave the room. Hansol and Seokmin need to go with you."

"But Seungkwan – "

"Jihoon – "

"He _knotted_ – "

"The betas can take care of all that," Joshua says over their outraged protests, still calm. "You're going to make it worse. You all need to leave."

It takes a tremendous show of self control, but Seungcheol turns his back on Dino, and Seungkwan, and Jihoon. 

"Let's go," Seungcheol says. 

Seokmin is the easiest to persuade, he has his omega. Wrapped in a blanket from the hotel bed, Seokmin carries Soonyoung out the door. Hansol looks like he's either going to cry or scream. But when Seungcheol starts walking toward the door, thankfully, Hansol finds the strength to follow. 

"Thank you," Joshua says, and he slips in after them, closing the door.

"What the fuck happened?" Hansol says, both hands in his hair. His voice is shaking terribly. "What the fuck? Dino's ruts are never that bad?"

"I don't know," Seungcheol says. "Maybe he just – finished maturing."

"No," Hansol says, shaking his head. He looks like he disagrees strongly enough to start a fight over it, but Seungcheol doesn't take it personally. Frankly, he's impressed with Hansol's current calm, after seeing that. "No, none of us would ever – it doesn't matter how old we are, we never would've – "

"Dino wouldn't either," Seungcheol says. 

"But Dino _did_, Dino – he knotted – Seungkwan – " Hansol bends forward, biting his first and suppressing a noise of pure rage. 

He did. What else did Dino do, that Seungcheol can't even begin to guess? He wants to go back to alpha room, where Seokmin certainly took Soonyoung. He wants to know if Dino knotted Soonyoung, too. He wants evidence that at least one of his members in that room came out alive and well, but he also knows Seokmin will need time alone with his omega, at least another half hour. 

Hansol continues pacing and trying to start useless arguments. All Seungcheol can do is listen and endure, until Joshua and Jun show up with actual answers. Jun is carrying Jihoon, and Seungcheol is relieved just by the fact that Jihoon's neck is still clean. At least Dino didn't attempt a mating mark. 

"'Going to the beta room," Jun mumbles as he passes by, carrying Jihoon away. Both Seungcheol and Hansol instinctively make to follow after. Their omega. Jihoon is their omega, he was hurt, is he okay – but Joshua stops them. 

"So hotel called a doctor," Joshua says. "And it sounds like Dino went into a nesting rut."

"Nesting rut?" Seungcheol repeats.

"It's a kind of hyper-virile rut where an alpha is driven to breed," Joshua says. "It's rare. They're going to have to look Dino over to make sure, but it's possible that he has a tendency toward nesting ruts. He might need medication."

"Sorry, how is that different from a normal rut? A rut is – being driven to breed, right?"

"Only mated alphas. Typically a lone alpha will get worked up during a rut, but not enough that they're driven to act on it," Joshua says. "Only mated alphas should feel the drive to breed to the point that they'll do anything to make it happen. Nesting ruts are more intense, and – well. I've never seen any other alpha express this urge, but – Jihoon. He didn't want to mate with Dino. When I tried to get him away from Dino, Dino fought me more viciously than he did when I got close to Seungkwan."

That is – very odd. Hansol and Seungcheol exchange a look. Frankly Seungcheol can't imagine caring about his own mother when he's in rut and with his omega. Let alone anyone else. 

"I think from his reaction – it was like he decided Jihoon was – his pup?" Joshua says. "The doctor said that reaction fit with a nesting rut, too."

"Is the knot down yet?" 

"Not for another fifteen minutes at the earliest," Joshua says. "They were going to drug Dino but at this point they said it was better to let it play out."

Hansol nods, like that's reasonable, fast and short movements of his head. Then he turns and punches the wall, so sudden it makes both Joshua and Seungcheol jump.

"Sorry," Hansol mutters. "I'm gonna."

He doesn't finish, but he goes in the direction of the omega room, so Seungcheol can only surmise he's going to wait the next fifteen minutes directly outside of the door.

"How is Dino?" Seungcheol asks. He feels a little bad for it only occurring to him now. 

Joshua gaze drops briefly to the floor. "I think he's fine. Physically."

The silence that follows says a lot. 

The aftermath of this is going to be... a nightmare. For everyone. At that thought, Seungcheol finally caves. 

Jihoon has been with Seungcheol so long he literally can't imagine day to day life without him. He's seen him more than anyone else, more than his family, more than any other member of Seventeen. His Jihoon. As a leader he cares about all of them just the same, but as a human, as an alpha, his heart is tucked close to Jihoon. 

He needs to see Jihoon.


	2. Chapter 2

It's a fever.

Seungkwan feels wet and sticky and too hot. He's trapped in way that reminds him of when he was a child, bundled up tight under layers and layers of blankets to sweat out a head cold. He's delirious, weak, and useless, and all this has him crying in plaintive little whimpers and whines. 

There's an alpha knot in him, so it keeps his distress from getting too out of hand. The alpha with him is pleased, because Seungkwan took his knot well, and instinctively, he knows everything is fine. 

But he wants _his_ alpha. 

He wants his Hansol, and his cries are for Hansol, but Hansol's gone. 

He was there briefly, Seungkwan could smell him, and smell how angry he was. How distressed. _What's wrong?_ he wants to ask, he wants to pet Hansol's hair, and smell him, and hold him. He wants to hear Hansol's voice, and he wants Hansol's hands to cool the fever that's making it hard for Seungkwan to breathe in this endless, suffocating humidity. 

He just _wants_ Hansol so badly, whimpering, _please come back, please..._

Teeth on his neck. 

Seungkwan's eyes shut, going silent, accepting this as reality. The alpha above him is tasting and biting again, and when this started it was thrilling, exciting, for a strong and virile alpha to show interest. But now, pleasure just feels like another layer he's trapped beneath.

_Hansol_.

Seungkwan's eyes open. 

Hansol's close.

He came back, and Seungkwan's cries start up again immediately, louder, so Hansol won't miss them. Need for Hansol is hot under his skin, making him squirm. He doesn't mind the knot, he quite likes the knot, it gives him a deep sense of satisfaction, a job well done. But if Hansol could just get close enough for Seungkwan to see, just so he would know that Hansol is okay, that he's not distressed anymore – then it would be perfect, Hansol – Hansol – 

The alpha above him gives a low growl of warning, and Seungkwan falls silent again, but can't be still. 

_Hansol_.

When the knot eventually starts to soften, Hansol does enter the room. Seungkwan has clenched down on it tight, and tighter, trying to ride the last bits of pleasure it can give, and the sudden, clear breath of Hansol's scent is nearly enough to distract from it. 

Seungkwan wants to reach out for him, wants to say his name, but the sudden spike of aggression between the alphas has him biting his lip instead, closing his eyes. 

Hansol approaches them slowly, a low, soft growl. 

It's a warning, not aggressive. 

The alpha on top of Seungkwan responds with real heat – or the attempt at it. He's too sated, exhausted after having his way with Soonyoung and Seungkwan. He's spent, and it shudders through his body when he tries to tense, defend his claim. 

He's not going to win against this new alpha, Hansol is strong, energized, well rested, and all this is obvious. He doesn't growl again, because he doesn't need to, it is clear to the entire room that he would win. He moves with more determination toward the bed, and the alpha inside Seungkwan backs down. 

The knot pulls on Seungkwan's tender skin as it leaves, just slightly earlier than it should, but Seungkwan is okay with that – he has something better now. He's practically buzzing as Hansol takes the alpha's place, wrapping him in a hug as soon as he's close enough. _Hansolie_. 

"Seungkwan," Hansol says, arms on either side of Seungkwan's head, the weight on top of him a pleasant, familiar thing, and Seungkwan squirms again, from happiness, how perfect it is, to have Hansol here. 

Hansol starts scenting him, aggressive about it, and Seungkwan hums, tilting his head back for Hansol to do whatever he likes. 

"Hansol?" Seungkwan asks, worried when he smells Hansol's rising distress. 

Hansol doesn't answer, so Seungkwan purrs for him, to let him know it's okay. Everything's okay, they're together and Seungkwan nuzzles Hansol's neck, drinking in his scent. Nothing smells as good as Hansol, nothing ever could. Hansol. 

Still content on the knot high, sanity is slow to filter in. The dark, faceless silhouette of the alpha who knotted him starts to clear. Seungkwan's thoughts sober, and he remembers that alpha's name – and the full implications of that. 

He stops purring.

"Hansol... "

"Shh, it's okay," Hansol says, quickly, trying to cut him off before it can really get going, but there's no stopping this. Seungkwan shakes his head, tears coming. 

"I – "

"It's okay, everything's okay," Hansol murmurs, petting up and down Seungkwan's back. 

"I didn't – I'm sorry – "

"You didn't, I know," Hansol says. "Don't be sorry, babe, you're perfect, you didn't do anything wrong, okay?"

Seungkwan is a fixer. It's an instinct that's hardwired in him in a very real way. He wants to fix _everything_, but especially problems in their pack. When his heat is drawing near it's a very real struggle, when an alpha gets angry, or there’s a fight. He bends over backward for them, growing manic when they get angry. He's sensitive to it, and the only thing that's ever been able to calm it is Hansol. 

Seungkwan's known this about himself for some time, but it's humiliating, to realize the full extent of it. 

He didn't even question it, just rolled right over for Dino. 

"Hansol," Seungkwan cries, petting down Hansol's neck, his hair, cradling his head close to his shoulder. "You saw – I'm so sorry, Hansollie." 

"Seungkwan," Hansol holds him closer. "Stop, I'm – fine."

Seungkwan whines, eyes closing tight. The night is replaying again. This time he's able to understand the full implications, and his thoughts expand to bigger concerns. 

While embarrassing, while terrible, Hansol might have it easiest. 

Hansol and Dino are very close. They're like brothers. It's the only reason why Hansol could get Dino off Seungkwan while he was still finishing up a knot, without blood shed. There's a deep, trusting bond there.

It could be harder for Seokmin. Seokmin and Dino are pack mates like the rest of them, and they are close, but as close as that... and smelling and seeing what Dino did with Soonyoung – instinct alone could be enough to set his brain on fire.

"Babe, I really – I love you, I love you, but I'm going a little crazy," Hansol whispers. When Seungkwan leans back to look him in the face, he sees Hansol's eyes are closed tight. 

Seungkwan pets down his cheek.

"Whatever you want," Seungkwan says. "Please."

Hansol's breath is hot, a growl on the edge of each exhale as he feels down Seungkwan's body. 

Excitement with Dino came from adrenaline, the pleasure of being held down and taken by force. That was good, but this is better. There is simply no one else Seungkwan would like to submit to, this is who should be touching him, and Seungkwan doesn't have to be held down, caged in, for it to happen, for an alpha to make him feel that good. 

Hansol knows and loves Seungkwan's body, and he takes his time with it, hands petting up Seungkwan's sides, up into his hair, kissing him – Hansol's being rough and greedy, not at all skilled or smooth, but there's something to be said about this, about a partner being so desperate and wanting just to touch.

"Mmpf," Seungkwan bites down on a moan when Hansol makes it to his chest and licks, generous, hot, and wet, on the thin, sensitive skin of his nipple. "Ah – _aah_." 

Arousal builds, raw and sharp, though he didn't think it was possible, so utterly spent from his round with Dino. Hansol's thumb teases the nipple not in his mouth, as if sensing Seungkwan's thoughts and wanting to prove a point, a light, scratching touch that has Seungkwan twisting, rocking up and up into his attention. He plays with him like this until Seungkwan's nipples have gone puffy and tingle in the open air. 

"So good, babe. God. Seungkwan," Hansol pulls back, mumbling out the praise like it's thoughtless, stream of consciousness. 

He keeps his thumbs rubbing in slow, teasing circles, eyes dark as he considers Seungkwan's chest.

Seungkwan knows he's thinking about pups. 

About how, if Hansol gave Seungkwan a baby, Seungkwan's body would become soft, and he'd get weepy and needy. His chest would fill, and he'd leak with milk for them. He'd become so dependent on his alpha, then, nesting anxiously, sensitive and shivering and weak. 

But not yet. Rationally. 

Hansol wants it. Badly. Hansol is a family oriented alpha, he's traditional and devoted and sweet. He wants to take care of Seungkwan, and gets obsessed with it when his rut is particularly bad, making sure Seungkwan's well fed and safe and warm. This – knotting an omega well enough that they carry a pup is the most primal, most important way an alpha can take care of an omega. 

Seungkwan knows it's _that_ instinct, that intense, hot desire that has Hansol still fixated on his chest, scratching and rubbing Seungkwan's nipples as he considers Seungkwan's body. What he could do with it. 

But not yet. 

They've agreed to that. There's no way Seungkwan would have the strength to resist it if Hansol changed his mind, decided now is the time, though. So he says nothing, just whines, lips pressed together weakly, starting to feel heady from the teasing attention – if it was Hansol's tongue on his nipples, he could get off from this, get real pleasure, but this is just enough to keep him on a low, frustrating broil, to start leaking on the bed beneath him.

"I want to see," Hansol mumbles to himself, suddenly ducking down, between Seungkwan's legs. Checking what mess Dino left behind, combined with the new, fresh slick Seungkwan made, just for him. 

Hansol growls, low and constant, as he pushes his fingers inside Seungkwan's well fucked, well-slicked, puffy hole. 

The anger is back. Hansol has his hand on Seungkwan's lower stomach, like trying to tell, by feel alone, if Dino was successful. 

"Did it hurt?" he asks, furious.

"No," Seungkwan says. 

For a second Seungkwan thinks Hansol is going to get him off with his tongue. He loves doing it, loves when Seungkwan rides his face until he's screaming from how good Hansol is at eating him out, but he doesn't, tonight. Maybe it doesn't feel like enough.

He moves back up. Bracketing Seungkwan with his arms. His expression is serious, focused, jaw set. 

"Can I knot you?"

"Can you – " Seungkwan repeats, and has to stop because Hansol's fingers are pushing inside him again, like he's pissed off just at the thought of Seungkwan being empty. 

"You can say no," Hansol says, and though his voice is shaking from the intensity of his want, Seungkwan knows it's the truth. "It's okay. I'll be okay. I'll do whatever you want. But I want to knot you."

"You can. Yeah," Seungkwan whines out, starting to ride Hansol's fingers. 

He's well stretched, Dino wasn't exactly small, but there was just enough time for Seungkwan to start to tighten up again, just enough for there to be a slight resistance for Hansol to push through when he removes his fingers and replaces it with his fat, rigid dick, in exactly two thrusts.

Seungkwan doesn't realize he screamed until he comes back down. His hands have flown to Hansol's shoulders, nails digging in there, clinging, back arched high in the air. "Oh my god," he cries again, reeling from the sensation.

"Did it hurt??" Hansol asks, tense, frozen in place above him.

"No – no juh-just, a lot, oh my god," Seungkwan babbles. "Never – felt anything – never felt it that fast, Hansol – fuck, oh fuck."

Hansol's all the way in his throat already, as deep as he ever gets. His cock is impossibly thick and firm, and Seungkwan can't believe how his body simply _took_ it, swallowed Hansol down, spreading so wide around the impossible thickness, leaking around it.

"_Fuck me_," Seungkwan hisses, feeling close to out of his mind. Hansol is always slow to build up to it, always, because of his size. To _start_ hard – like this – to just feel Hansol pull out and ram back in, with everything he has, to feel _this_ raw pleasure, this fast, without any warning – Seungkwan screams again, louder than before, possibly louder than he's ever been in his life. 

He's a beat behind processing it, body contorting and crying before he feels the stab of ecstasy Hansol gave him that caused it.

"Hansol, o-oh - Hansol - "

"Fuck. K-keep making those noises, babe," Hansol says, voice hot, gritting it through his teeth, and maybe a person could mistake him as angry if they couldn't smell the alpha's arousal – the best thing, the best version of Hansol's scent, when he's happy with Seungkwan like this, when it makes him fuck him with real, real intent. 

The bed shakes. The frame rattles, hitting the wall in time with the force of Hansol's thrusts. He stops, abruptly, gathering Seungkwan's legs from around his waist, pulling one over his shoulder, than the other, bending Seungkwan in half.

"H-Hansol – " Seungkwan warns. He hasn't stretched, his legs can’t go that far back without warning – he'd had to bite and snarl to stop Dino when he tried pushing him too far in half, and normally Hansol would know his limits, but he seems nearly out of his mind. 

"I know, I'll – I'll be careful, I just want – to see, God," despite moaning this, Hansol then closes his eyes, tilting his head to the side, like he just ate something delicious. The sight of his own cock entering Seungkwan's ass. "It's so good."

He's going to knot. Seungkwan can see it in his face. The knowledge makes feel Seungkwan feel, of all things on this insane evening, a little smug. He's always proud of Hansol, to have gotten him, and to be the one Hansol picks. It's distinct, omegan pride, knowing that he's the one Hansol is going to fill. 

The soft haze of a knot high is coming on, and Seungkwan is so ready for it, he clenches the moment Hansol starts to swell inside him.

"Ha," Hansol laughs, breathless. "You wanted it that bad, babe?"

Seungkwan can't answer. He's coming, moaning as he does, Hansol's thick cock inside, pouring deep in Seungkwan's body. 

Hansol lets his legs fall, one at a time, catching him in the crook of his arm before setting each one, gently, to the mattress. He leans in, kissing Seungkwan gently. His hips mirror this, for the first time tonight, rocking inside Seungkwan in soft, swallow motions. It's perfect. Seungkwan runs his hands through Hansol's hair, kissing him, smelling him, feeling him deep inside, and this, really, is all that he's ever wanted. Also anything else Hansol can give him, too.

-

Soonyoung is restless, and distressed. 

He's out of it when Seokmin carries him into their room, limp, and instinctively welcomes Seokmin's scenting. He wakes to that, Seokmin licking up his throat, clearing away Dino's scent and replacing it with his own, literally curtaining Soonyoung's body. He smiles, sighing into it at first.

Seokmin knows the moment Soonyoung remembers what happened, because he stiffens, then is in a panic, trying to wiggle out from under Seokmin.

"Soonyoung?" Seokmin asks, leaning back quickly, wiping at his own mouth. 

"I need – I need to – " Soonyoung looks around the room wildly, like he's trying to find the answer in there. Seokmin, who has a better idea of what he might be wanting to do, bites his lip and waits for him to remember fully. 

Soonyoung's eyes go inward, and the urgency slowly fades. 

Seokmin tries to follow his gaze, but can't. So he pulls Soonyoung into his arms again. This time it works, Soonyoung accepts the hug, sniffling once. The sound of it cracks Seokmin's own heart, making his eyes sting.

"Are they okay?" Soonyoung finally asks.

"... I think so," he says. But that's more of a hope than anything. He has no idea. The betrayal, the outrage in Hansol's voice when he realized Dino knotted Seungkwan. Jihoon had looked smaller than Seokmin had ever seen, defenseless in a way that set off his protective instincts like an alarm. If it had been an alpha he didn't know, a stranger, who had made Jihoon look like that, Seokmin thinks he could've actually lunged for his throat. _Okay_, Seokmin thinks, is a long way off.

"I was the oldest," Soonyoung says, his lip trembling as he struggles to keep his composure. "Dino's mine. I should've.." He looks to the side, frustrated and eyes wet. "Done something."

Seokmin is not much of an alpha. He's almost never aggressive, he's never territorial. He's found peace in his classification because it's what best matches with Soonyoung. He slots into place with Soonyoung so naturally, so effortlessly, it could only be by some design.

These feelings, a building anger, a hot insistent urgency, are new. Watching his omega in this kind of pain, and blaming himself for it, is causing literal physical reaction in Seokmin, and it's nothing like the normal passive reaction he has to conflict. His hands clench, and he breathes sharply, furious.

It's light, light growl of a noise, something low in his chest, and created without him meaning to, but at the sound of it, Soonyoung melts. Primed for his alpha's attention, even this little bit is enough for the tension in his body to loosen, the conflict gnashing around his head quieting in a dazed, sudden silence. 

"Sorry," Seokmin says, quickly, trying to call Soonyoung back to sanity, hand on the side of his face. "Soonyoungie – "

Soonyoung pushes into Seokmin's hand, nuzzling it, clearly not listening, and Seokmin has to clear his throat to stop the low growl of pleasure. Even in this situation - he might not be much of an alpha, but he is an alpha, and he can't help but acknowledge his omega's response.

"Sorry," he says, forcing himself to sanity. "I didn't mean - " 

"Seokminnie," Soonyoung breathes, voice honey sweet and wanting, and Seokmin sees the goosebumps on his arms. He reaches out for Seokmin, eyes bright. "Again."

"Again?"

"It was like you were the only thing in my head," Soonyoung says, arms wrapping around Seokmin's shoulders, rolling his body against Seokmin's. 

Seokmin's breath leaves him from sudden shift, the sheer appeal of these words, liking them more than he'd ever expect. 

Soonyoung is everywhere, all the time, so full of energy, and so generous with it. Seokmin is not a jealous alpha – he really couldn't be, with an omega like Soonyoung, but it's still a lot. He has to believe Soonyoung is partly oblivious to how much of a tease his actions can be. Soonyoung likes attention, but it's – innocent. He's brazen and unselfconscious about it, standing in center stage and shamelessly demanding the entire stadium to call out his name. And they do. Of course they do. 

But that's all – Hoshi. 

When Soonyoung has serious interest, he becomes so quiet and easily flustered, ducking his gaze, a charming pink sweeping across his face. A part of Soonyoung reserved only for Seokmin. 

To be the only thing on Soonyoung's mind _entirely_ – to hold his full attention... 

"Are you sure?" Seokmin asks.

"I want Seokminnie in me," Soonyoung says, just above a whisper. "No one else."

Jesus. After another short pause, Seokmin leans in, and says, low and deliberate, as an alpha, "You'll be good for me, won't you?"

Soonyoung's entire body shudders under Seokmin's hands. 

This isn't unusual. Mating while one partner uses an alpha voice is an intense, but common practice, at least every now and then. Maybe this is what Soonyoung needs after that, after Dino made such a claim on him.

He's already wet, at least, Seokmin can smell the fresh arousal and slick, and Soonyoung responds, eager and willing. Seokmin kisses his neck, sucking lightly on his collarbone, loving how it protrudes on Soonyoung, and how easily it darkens from his attention. 

As his fingers continue traveling downward, he whispers in Soonyoung's ear, gentle praise, how perfect Soonyoung smells, how good he is, to get so wet for him – 

It stops, abruptly, when he reaches Soonyoung's entrance. 

The alpha in him feels Soonyoung already loose, smells Dino here, still inside him, and wants to go wild. Wants to fight, wants to taste blood and bruise flesh. It's a violent reaction he's not used to and can't properly connect to higher thought; remembering that his enemy is, in fact, Dino, sends his violent urge into a confused tizzy. He needs to do _something_ though, so he pushes into Soonyoung's hole, three fingers at once.

"_Minnie_," Soonyoung moans from the stretch, and this derails his anger completely.

Seokmin's heart throbs in a few painful, love sick beats. Even now, even driven only by instinct, it's _Minnie_. There's no fear, no _ssi_, or _sir_, Soonyoung does not submit to Seokmin because he is afraid not to. He does it because he feels enough affection and trust to melt for him.

Seokmin crawls up Soonyoung's body, bracing his hand beside his head, watching as he keeps stretching him, watching how the pleasure softens Soonyoung's expressions, brings a dewy shine to his skin.

"So pretty when you feel good, Youngie," Seokmin tells him. It's in his alpha voice. He watches the praise travel in a shiver, like a caress, across Soonyoung's body. He huffs, and thinks it could get addicting, watching what his words do to Soonyoung. 

Soonyoung's body is generous, like the rest of him. He gets so wet, and this much attention and praise is enough for slick to slide down Seokmin's palm, and drip onto the bedsheet.

They kiss, deep and greedy, as he pushes his cock inside Soonyoung's ready, slick hole. It's too good, though, Seokmin has to break the kiss, tipping his head back to groan, close his eyes tight as he keeps sinking into Soonyoung's body, Soonyoung's hands gripping tight on Seokmin's sides as he goes. 

Alphas and omegas are made for each other, and he knows this, but it feels unreal, like a miracle, feeling _this good_. Soonyoung's hot, wet resistance, pressing down around his cock as he drives inside, it's a wonder he can ever, ever think about doing anything else, ever. 

He pulls back, so he can have the pleasure of doing it again, hearing Soonyoung cry out as he snaps his hips in. He does it again, and again, feeling just as good each time, but a little better, as Soonyoung's cries get louder, anticipating the pleasure Soekmn is going to give him.

It's his favorite when Soonyoung rides him. Soonyoung is made to be seen, and with Seokmin as his captive audience he gets can't help showing off, being ridiculous, cute, and sexy in dizzying turns. 

But even on his back, getting fucked into the mattress, Soonyoung rocks in time with the rhythm Seokmin sets, instinctively, gracefully, countering each thrust, taking Seokmin's thick cock in graceful bounces of his hips. 

The motion of his back and hips looks like some impossibly lewd, erotic dance. His dark hair against his flushed, sweating skin, smooth and dewy – he's too fucking good to be real. 

Soonyoung's eyes suddenly open into dark, wet, slits, watching Seokmin, his gaze intense, and gorgeous. Seokmin can't breathe for a moment, caught in that stare. Soonyoung's so much. He's so much to handle, it almost feels like _too_ much for Seokmin, but then Soonyoung shudders in pleasure from Seokmin's cock, crying out in a series of little, pleading whimpers, he _needs_ Seokmin, needs Seokmin to keep fucking him, just like this, just this hard, just this way at just this angle. 

Seokmin does, hips thrusting deep and hard, giving his omega what he needs. 

"Minnie, oh – fuck, oh – alpha," Soonyoung's started canting his hips down, again and again, trying to get the angle that will feel best, and Seokmin knows him well enough to be able tell what he's after – shallow, sharp thrusts, warmed enough to crave direct pressure against his prostate instead of teasing grazes. 

Seokmin shifts his weight, braces on his knees to give Soonyoung what he wants, and when he gets it, Soonyoung's hands turn to fists, tangling in the sheet beside his head and yanking, his mouth dropping open, breath catching before he wails, loudly, in pleasure. 

The sound drives Seokmin wild, and he keeps going, kissing Soonyoung's neck, his mouth, hands dragging across the smooth skin of his round, flexing thighs, digging his nails in and biting down when the pleasure gets to be too much.

"Yes – yes, Minnie," Soonyoung sobs, jerking himself off with one hand, the other wrapped tight around Seokmin's shoulders. 

He's so close to coming, but suddenly goes still beneath Seokmin, eyes shutting, breathing hard. 

There's only one reason why an omega gets limp this close to orgasm. He's asking for a knot. He's letting his alpha know he's ready, he's practically quivering from the instinct that made him go suddenly passive, loosen the legs he's wrapped so tight around Seokmin's waist, letting them fall, open. Willing. Ready. Wanting. 

Seokmin growls, vision clouding. 

It feels like the most important thing on this earth, what he was put here to do. Knot this omega. But. But that would get Soonyoung pregnant. _And??_ the alpha in him demands, unable to understand how this could possibly be a bad thing. Soonyoung is his, his precious omega, he's ready and he's perfect and waiting for Seokmin's knot, and of course he would get Seokmin's pups from that, who else would Seokmin rather carry them?? This is his mate. There is no argument to be made with the alpha inside, who is still restless, not even the sight of Soonyoung covered in his bites and stretched around his cock is enough.

The knot comes. Seokmin dithered too long before making a decision and his body made it for him. He feels it swell, and so does Soonyoung, and he has a proper, sweet omega orgasm, body trembling through it, back arching, clenching around Seokmin tight as his cock spills up, onto his chest. 

Good. Good, the smell of a pleased omega, Seokmin's pleased, knotted, omega. He sits upright, onto his heels, and brings Soonyoung's now limp body with him, cradling him against his chest. 

Soonyoung lifts his head, blinking dazed eyes as gravity helps him sinks just a little deeper onto Seokmin's cock, feeling the knot really settle inside him. 

Seokmin takes in his face, the mess the sweat has made of his fringe, his swollen lips. 

"My Soonyoung," he says. 

"My Minnie," Soonyoung says, a smile suddenly lighting up his expression, so sweet Seokmin can't help the breathless laugh, hand cradling the back of Soonyoung's head, kissing him. 

He'll drop down into a knot high soon, and Seokmin will see him through it. He'll see him through anything that happens next. 

-

Jihoon was fine on the shore.

He had no interest in the ocean, and when an alpha appeared, and tried dragging him in, Jihoon fought to stay on the firm, safe ground. The alpha overpowered him, though. Simply grabbed him and pulled him into dark, deep waters.

Instead of sinking to the bottom, instead of drowning, the alpha held him afloat. 

Eventually, Jihoon trusted his weight in the alpha's hands. Eventually, he trusted that Dino would keep him safe.

But now Dino is gone. Dino left. 

Jihoon does not know his way back to shore. 

He can't navigate his own mind, the angered alphas around him are violent waves, crashing against him, pulling him down again and again, making it hard to breathe. 

He's sinks deeper, and deeper, into instinct, impulsive, thoughtless reactions. Someone touches him, and he fights, until he recognizes the beta's scent – pack. Family. It's okay. He relaxes, and the beta's arms wrap around him, and lift him up, and carry him off.

It's quiet. 

"Jihoon?"

He lifts his head. There's a beta beside him. Jihoon blinks, struggling to clear his head of the suffocating ocean, too heavy for his higher thought to escape. Beta – _Joshua_. Joshua, his hyung. Not a gentleman. 

"We're going to put some clothes on you, alright?"

Clothes? Jihoon looks down – he's wrapped in a blanket. He's in a hotel room – the same style as his own room, but the luggage spotting the room is different. Beta room? 

Slowly, Jihoon nods. 

Another beta – ah. B-beta, yes but – also – Jihoon's breath shakes, a little frightened, he's never – his thoughts have never been this disorganized before, that he actually lost names – _Junhei_. Jun, Moon Jun. Jihoon's so focused on repeating that name, his friend's name, in his head, that he barely helps with the shirt being dropped over his head, his arms fed through the sleeves. 

"Pants?" Jun says, like he's offering a drink. 

Jihoon takes them. This time he climbs off the bed, on to his own two feet, and pulls them up his legs himself.

"Feeling better?" the beta is concerned, hoping the answer is yes. Jihoon nods because that’s answer the beta – _Joshua_, again. That's the answer he wants. Joshua wants to hear that Jihoon is feeling better, normal. "Seungcheol’s worried. He wants to see you, is that okay?"

Jihoon nods again. Why wouldn't it be? He knows Seungcheol, he can see Seungcheol’s face in his minds eye clearly, and knows he is a friend. This is a relief, and maybe Jihoon actually is feeling better, maybe it's – _ALPHA_.

There's an alpha in the room. 

Terrified, Jihoon backs up, into the wall – but that didn't work last time, it wasn’t good enough, the alpha still grabbed him, and dragged him in, and Jihoon is dropping again, head sinking hopelessly below the water. There's a lot of noise, like before, and Jihoon crouches down in the corner he's found, covering his head, hiding as best he can. The alpha is upset, the scent of it crashing hard into Jihoon's senses. 

"Hey – hyung, it's okay, it's okay, he's leaving."

The voice is imploring, almost demanding that Jihoon get a hold of himself. He blinks up. Another beta. He knows this beta, like he knew the others, but again cannot bring anything to mind other than, _safe, pack, beta, young_. This time, the name does not surface. 

Jihoon hides his face again, shivering, overwhelmed and terrified of his own malfunctioning mind. 

The alpha is gone, but his scent remains. The betas try to pick him up again, but Jihoon fights them off, resisting until the scent is gone. It's safe then, and he crawls into the bed he was placed in before. Under the covers. 

"Just needs some time, maybe," he hears the betas saying to each other. 

"The doctor already left but yeah, if we need to we can call them back in the morning? If he's not feeling better."

A beta – _hyung, trust, safe,_ – is petting down his back, so Jihoon ignores their words. He knows those three things, for sure: he’s with his hyung, who he trusts, who is safe, which means it's okay to sleep.


	3. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear this will have seungcheol/jihoon endgame, we just have to walk a little bit to get there..... i'm so sorry this is taking so long lol.

"Jihoon dropped."

"No, he didn't." 

Junhei and Wonwoo exchange a look, but before they can protest, Seungcheol says again, firm, "That wasn't a drop." 

It couldn't be. If had been a drop, Seungcheol would've fixed it. Jihoon would've been calmed by Seungcheol's presence, because Seungcheol is his pack alpha. Jihoon would've relaxed back into himself, at worst becoming clingy and timid. But he'd be alright, he'd be himself again.

If it was a drop, Seungcheol would've pulled him out of it.

"What is it then?" Jun asks. He's leaning on the beta room door. He probably doesn't mean it this way, but it feels like he's blocking Seungcheol from entering, like he's afraid of Seungcheol forcing his way through and distressing Jihoon again. 

"I don't know," Seungcheol says. "But not that."

"It's a drop, hyung," Wonwoo says, with a sort of calm knowledge that can't be argued with. Before Seungcheol can even try, "Maybe you should try again tomorrow. Maybe he was too traumatized to recognize you."

Seungcheol shakes his head, but doesn't say anything else. Betas are attuned and sensitive to the scents of alphas and omegas, and as impartial bystanders, they're often better at understanding what's going on than alphas and omegas themselves. But there's a clear disconnect happening here, what Wonwoo just said was pure gibberish. The idea of an omega _not recognizing_ their pack alpha, because they're _too stressed_? This is when Jihoon should be most sensitive to Seungcheol's scent. It's a deep, powerful instinct, more immediate than hunger, stronger than fear, a pull so intense that only an alpha or omega would understand. 

A pull Seungcheol still feels, and the anxiety of being unable to follow it has him pacing back and forth, agitated. 

He wants his pack, he wants his omegas. He wants all three of them, but knowing that Seungkwan is with Hansol and Soonyoung with Seokmin is at least bearable. And if Jihoon was hurt physically, if he'd sprained his arm, knowing the betas were with him would be enough to calm Seungcheol's protective instincts. But Jihoon is clearly suffering as an omega, and needs an alpha. But there's no alpha with him, there's no alpha standing guard, scenting him. 

It should be Seungcheol. 

He doesn't know what to do with himself, replaying the terror in Jihoon's face when he processed Seungcheol's scent again and again. The way he backed away, and curled in on himself, trying to disappear. What does it mean? What was he hiding from? The alpha in Seungcheol is on a rampage: _what_ is still threatening his omega, and why isn't Seungcheol fighting it off??

"Hyung." 

Mingyu is jogging down the hall, hair poofed up in bedhead. The urgency in his face derails Seungcheol's thoughts and has him on alert immediately.

"It's Dino," he says.

Seungcheol doesn't wait for anything else. Quickly down the stairs, one floor below, they open the door to the stairwell and Seungcheol smells Jeonghan instantly – his scent is smoky and woodsy and sweet, usually a tremendously comforting smell, now distressed and acidic like wildfire. 

He can't smell Dino at all.

"Staff," Mingyu says, as they hurry to the alpha door. "They gave Dino a shot to calm him down – "

"They drugged him??"

"A sedative," Mingyu says. 

"Was he fighting anyone??" Seungcheol asks, but Mingyu only shakes his head, shrugging. He wasn't there. Protective instincts already worked up, Seungcheol tries to remember what Joshua said, why the doctors had decided against drugging Dino. Was it safer? He can't remember the reasoning. Whatever, he's still furious, furious at everything, furious that Pledis decided to drug the youngest member of Seungcheol's pack. 

Once making it into the alpha room, he finally gets that familiar trace of Dino's scent, though subdued. Spice and leather and musk. It's a powerful, commanding scent, always has been, even when he had first presented - barely older than a pup, and it seemed way too big for him, swamping the room until he learned to keep it under control. 

To smell it so faint and weak, barely a whisper in the room, is disquieting. 

"Dino?"

He's leaning against the headboard and Jeonghan's shoulder, head lulling then jerking upright as he tries to resist sleep.

"He's okay," Jeonghan says, putting one hand up, and Seungcheol realizes his expression must be wild. "He's just on edge, I think you'll can calm him enough to – "

Dino growls. 

All of them stop, looking at Dino in surprise.

It was a weak noise, but clear. Seungcheol tilts his head to the side. He approaches the bed, and Dino growls, again. He forces his eyes open, locking them with Seungcheol. A blatant challenge. 

Alpha to alpha, that kind of noise is a warning. Toward an alpha's _pack leader_, though, it's a direct threat.

"Dino… " Jeonghan says, softly, aghast. 

"He's out of it," Mingyu says to Seungcheol, quickly. "He's on edge, he doesn't know what he's doing."

This is the second time tonight a member of Seungcheol's pack has reacted as though Seungcheol is a stranger. Seungcheol takes a step back. 

"I thought you could help him relax," Jeonghan says, bringing Dino closer to him, like this aggression is one more symptom that something's wrong. 

"Right. Get some sleep," Seungcheol says. "We'll work all this out in the morning."

"You could try rumbling," Mingyu says.

"I don't think that's going to work right now," Seungcheol says. 

He feels their concerned stares as he leaves the room. 

Seungcheol knows he can be sensitive. In the brattiest, most insecure core of himself, he wants his members unconditional affection. He admires each member of his pack, they're all talented and strong, and he's proud of them. When one of them is withholding or cruel it stings, but he knows both Dino and Jihoon. They aren't the type to play that kind of game.

Whatever Dino is going through is something he can't control. Something Seungcheol will have to figure out, and fix himself. And he has a bad feeling he already knows the answer. 

X

The next morning finds the roommates a disorganized mess of dynamics. 

Seungcheol slept in the van, and isn't sure where to start when he makes it back into the hotel, outside of the fact that they need to have a pack meeting, get everything out in the open. He could send this through a group text, and that would be easier, but he's itching, impatient to check on the status of each member.

"Hoshi fighting," Seungcheol says, quietly. 

He taps Soonyoung's cheek, then watches him slowly wake up. 

It takes a beat, but Soonyoung smiles into his pillow, then slowly cracks open his eyes, looking at Seungcheol. There's no fear in his face and Seungcheol smiles back in relief. 

"Feeling alright?" Seungcheol asks.

The smile dims. Soonyoung blinks as he remembers himself. Remembers last night. Seokmin is still asleep, holding Soonyoung against his chest with a loose arm around his waist. Soonyoung rests his own hand on it, then nods.

"We're going to have a meeting when everyone wakes up," Seungcheol says. "Talk about last night."

"Right," he says, voice groggy with sleep. It's hard to get a read on how he feels about that, and Seungcheol starts to worry.

"Is that alright?" he asks. "What if Dino's there?"

"It's alright," Soonyoung says, shifting, getting ready to sit upright. Seokmin inhales in surprise at the movement, arm curling tighter, trying to keep Soonyoung close in sleep. 

Seungcheol grins, about leave Soonyoung to fight his way free from Seokmin, but before he can, he's taken by the impulsive urge to cup the side of Soonyoung's face, move in close to inhale the scent at Soonyoung's neck. Soonyoung's smell is rich from sleep, clean, calm, and content – this omega is not distressed. He's healthy. Well taken care of. 

Seungcheol breathes this in, eyes closing in thanks, Soonyoung's scent strengthening his resolve and sense of balance as he hunts down Hansol and Seungkwan. 

They're in the old omega room. 

Hansol is actually awake, on his phone, when Seungcheol enters. Seungkwan is completely out, head on Hansol's chest as Hansol runs fingers through his hair. 

"Morning," Seungcheol says. 

"Morning," Hansol says. It's probably the first thing he's said out loud this morning, voice low and raspy, but there's no anger there. Seungcheol tells him about the meeting, and he nods, then smiles, dry and wan, when he notices Seungcheol linger stare at Seungkwan's sleeping form.

"Hey," Hansol says, shaking Seungkwan's shoulder.

Seungkwan burrows down deeper, groaning in annoyance. 

"Come on, Seungkwan," Hansol says. "Seungcheol-hyung is here."

Groaning again, Seungkwan sticks his arm up into to the air, and Seungcheol laughs, relieved that Seungkwan isn't scared, either. He goes limp and allows Seungcheol to smell and scent his wrist, which really only works because Seungkwan fell asleep with his hands tucked under his chin. It's the sweet, summery scent Seungcheol knows, _Seungkwannie…_ Seungcheol's spirited Seungkwannie, healthy, happy, and sleepy, immediately curling back up against Hansol's side once Seungcheol lets go of his wrist. 

Now, Seungcheol continues on to the room weighing most heavily on his mind. 

He knocks, softly, on the beta room door. 

There's no answer, so he pushes it open as quietly as he can manage. It's dark, and the room quiet and undisturbed with the distinctive air of sleep. 

Wonwoo and Jun are asleep in the same bed, curled into an adorable knot, then across from that are Minghao and Joshua. Seungcheol has to look twice to spot the small lump between them, Jihoon under the blanket.

Joshua is awake, also on his phone, and he turns it off when he spots Seungcheol.

"Is he still – out of it?" Seungcheol asks.

"He hasn't woken up again since last night," Joshua says. "But he smells normal."

Seungcheol crosses his arms, waiting and watching as Joshua gently rolls the blanket back, revealing the side of Jihoon's sleeping face. 

"Jihoon?" Joshua whispers. 

Jihoon resists waking up, and he would hate to hear it, but relaxed like this, with that little show of protest, nuzzling harder into Minghao's chest, he looks about twelve years old. 

"Jihoonie," Joshua tries again, and finally Jihoon opens his eyes, looking over his shoulder.

Seungcheol can tell he's not in the right mindset instantly. There's no recognition his face as he looks at Joshua, just blank confusion.

"Hey, Jihoon," Joshua says, shifting a little lower in bed to get in his eye line. "It's Joshua. You know me right?"

Jihoon whines, sounding uncertain, but he doesn't try to get away. He turns back around, slotting himself under Minghao's chin, who wakes up with a start, peering around the room groggily.

Seungcheol leaves before Jihoon catches wind of his scent and makes things even worse. 

It's an understandably slow morning, and takes until almost noon for eleven of the members to gather in the reserved event room the hotel made available to them. 

Hansol and Seungkwan are the last to join them, and before Seungkwan can walk by Mingyu's armchair, he's grabbed, pulled down, sat on Mingyu's lap.

"Hyung," Seungkwan protests in a heavy sigh, but tilts his head to allow it, and eventually pats the top of Mingyu's head. _There, there. Everything's fine_. Mingyu doesn't let go once he's finished scenting Seungkwan, verifying that he is indeed still alive, and in fact redoubles his hold, hugging Seungkwan like a teddy bear. 

The alphas are greedy with Soonyoung, too, even Hansol who rarely shows much skinship with the rest of the omegas keeps grabbing for Soonyoung's hand, while Jeonghan pets the back of his head. 

"Where's Jihoon?" Soonyoung asks. "Where's Dino?"

Where to start? Seungcheol sighs. "Last night Dino was sedated, he's still not really awake," he says. "And it looks like Jihoon dropped."

Soonyoung and Seungkwan freeze in surprise. 

"I tried to pull him out last night and it didn't work," Seungcheol says.

"Then it's not a drop," Seungkwan says.

"That's what I said," Seungcheol says. "But. Last night – just to be clear, so everyone knows. Last night Dino went into a stronger rut. He aggressively tried to breed Soonyoung and Seungkwan, and he made Jihoon drop. Because I wasn't able to pull Jihoon out of the drop, and Dino reacted aggressively to me – I think Dino was challenging my spot as pack alpha."

Immediate disagreement – but only from the other alphas and betas. 

Stunned silence from the omegas. 

That's the telling thing, because alphas can squabble between themselves all they want, but it's omegas who really decide who the pack alpha is. Whoever they decide to follow, whoever convinces them that they're the best, for whatever reason, is who ends up becoming alpha.

Seungcheol has never come near touching his omegas the way Dino did last night, and he doesn't think he's ever had anything near that aggressive show of force with them, either. It could be that that kind of intimacy and dominance usurped Seungcheol's position for the omegas in a very primal way. 

If that's the case, only Dino would be able to pull Jihoon back. 

He can see this processing on Soonyoung and Seungkwan's faces, weighing Seungcheol's words seriously as the rest of the group protests. 

"We never had anything formal," Seungcheol says, directly to them, consoling them, because guilt is staring to surface in their expressions. The rest of the group quiets as they watch this, realizing that there's a good chance what Seungcheol said is true. 

"… We were so young when we became a pack," Joshua says, voice distant as he contemplates this. "All of us deferred to Seungcheol. There wasn't any question about it."

"Now is our chance to make it formal," Seungcheol says. "But right now the biggest concern is that it's dangerous for an omega to drop longer than a few hours. I want the other omegas to try to pull him out, and if that doesn't work, I want Dino to try.

"And from now on, we're going to be a pack. A real pack," Seungcheol says. "Formally. We'll decide who our mates are, where we're sleeping, how often we practice, when we rest. Everything. This never should've happened. I'm not going to let it happen again."

X

"Have you ever dropped?" Seungkwan asks, on the elevator back up to the rooms.

"Once," Soonyoung says. "You?"

"A few times," Seungkwan says. It can just get very intense, sometimes, with Hansol. Sometimes when he's not even trying, or being particularly rough, or tender. Sometimes Seungkwan just works himself up and Hansol becomes so relentlessly present in his mind that he shivers with it, like he's might just go blind and numb to everything but Hansol's touch. 

He doesn't know what this experience would be like without a partner. He can only imagine something terrifying. Floating, with no anchor, nothing to hold to. Hansol brings Seungkwan foods he likes, and puts on his favorite dramas, and holds him until he can think straight again. So Seungkwan gets coke from the vending machine, queuing up the streaming service he uses on his phone.

"What anime is he into now?" he asks. "Detective Conan still?"

Soonyoung huffs in surprise, then takes Seungkwan's phone, searching for a title Seungkwan doesn't recognize. 

"Think Seungcheol is right?" he asks as he searches.

"What? About Dino?"

"Yeah."

Seungkwan doesn't know. Seungkwan has decided not to think seriously about it yet. He grunts vaguely, shrugging a shoulder.

"I think he might be right," Soonyoung admits, softly. 

Seungkwan doesn't want to talk about this. He'd rather be talking about Jihoon. 

Jihoon is a better distraction, less complicated to think about, so he focuses on that. They find him still curled up in bed, asleep or simply floating in his own mind, Seungkwan can't tell.

"Jihoonie~" 

Soonyoung slips into bed behind Jihoon. There's no worry in his voice, his tone is light and playful, like everything's fine. Jihoon bounces from the force of his landing, then actually rolls away from it, and the scene is so normal that for a second Seungkwan thinks he's back to himself again. 

But there's no mistaking it when Jihoon keeps going, tries to burrow away into the pillows - clear panic in his face before Soonyoung gets close enough for him to recognize the scent. 

"Hey, it's just me, just Soonyoung," Soonyoung singsongs gently, following, trying to unbury Jihoon from the pillows. 

Jihoon pauses, and his chest shudders, a broken, quiet little whine as he breathes it in.

It's a soft sound, but distinctive, hitting something primal in Seungkwan. He’s only heard from Jihoon a handful of times, and it’s deeply omegan. Seungkwan himself has only made it when desperate, when he's given up, when he needs help, _please_. His heart breaks hearing it, knowing how embarrassed Jihoon would be that it escaped his mouth, and knowing how much of a nightmare his mind must be, for it to happen at all. 

Instinct is telling Seungkwan to get close, comfort, cuddle, and If Soonyoung had made a sound like that, Seungkwan wouldn't think twice about it. But Jihoon is so stiff about that sort of thing, and Seungkwan doesn't want to push it, make him feel trapped between the two of them, so while Soonyoung cuddles up alongside Jihoon, Seungkwan sits lightly on the other side, and doesn't touch or make much noise. 

He's within arm's reach, though, close enough for Jihoon to see his phone as it plays some colorful, upbeat anime opening.

About two minutes in, it works. Jihoon's shifted close enough to see the screen, and he's softened into Soonyoung's hold. 

Slowly, Seungkwan reaches for the coke from the nightstand.

"Thirsty? Hyung?" Seungkwan asks, holding it out. Jihoon's eyes lock on it, suddenly so bright and clear and excited Seungkwan can't help the laugh. Jihoon sits up, cracking open the can and drinking in greedy sips.

Still laying on his side, Soonyoung has his head against Jihoon's lap, arms around his waist, and he grins up at Jihoon, looking relieved. Seungkwan can't help preening a bit, proud of himself for handling this well, for helping. 

"If only hyung had better taste in shows~" Seungkwan teases.

Jihoon scoffs. He still hasn't said anything, though, and Seungkwan can't really tell where he is. He thinks he might be floating in-between the drop and reality, trying to pull himself free. A little longer of this easy quiet and he might be back to normal. 

The door opens and Seungkwan is smiling, ready to report this to whoever comes in, and stops when he sees Dino.

A hot, molten drop in his stomach. To his gut. 

Dino.

Something important has shifted in his mind and he knows Soonyoung was right. Seungcheol was right. Seungkwan pushes his phone away, moving onto his knees, fully entranced. This is his alpha. In a way that's less intimate than Hansol, less pressing, less imposing, but a steady, undeniable constant. 

"Okay – okay, Dino, you should leave – "

Someone else is in the room with them, Seungkwan blinks, trying to come back to himself. He hadn't even noticed. He watches Jun and Joshua, pulling Dino out of the room. 

He looks beside him and sees both Soonyoung and Jihoon reacting the same, feeling the pull to this new alpha. Dino has been pushed nearly clear of the door, when Jihoon lets out a terrible, terrible, brokenhearted whine. He's fallen deeper in the drop than ever, and needs Dino. He needs his alpha, and Seungkwan finds himself whining too, in sheer sympathy. How scary this must be, their pack alpha can't just _leave_ him – 

Ah. A sigh of relief, Dino's coming back. His scent get stronger as he gets closer, and he goes to Soonyoung first, scenting his neck, which is not _fair_. 

Dino did this last time, too! Going to Soonyoung, while Seungkwan waits, ignored. Seungkwan is not going to tolerate that again, so while Dino is still scenting Soonyoung, Seungkwan crawls over, grabs Dino's hand, and tugs him closer, so Seungkwan can start scenting the other side of his neck. 

Oh, this is good. Seungkwan sighs, content like slipping into a warm bath, goosebumps traveling up and down his arms, feeling even better when Dino's hand rests on the small of his back. 

A cry. All three of them look over. At the head of the bed is Jihoon, looking small, uncertain of how to approach, overlooked completely. Poor baby. Seungkwan leaves Dino to comfort him, but that's not the comfort Jihoon wants. It's not until Dino finally crawls onto the bed, rumbling low and steady, that Jihoon finally relaxes, melting into Dino's side. 

A part of Seungkwan can tell this is crazy. That they shouldn't be doing this, that Seungcheol is his pack alpha and reacting this way is a betrayal he should feel guilty about. 

But he doesn't want to think about that right now. Right now, he just wants to enjoy the feeling of his new pack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so this has been retooled completely, there's gonna be a lot more poly scenes which I will add the tags for, but end game pairings are still the ones that are currently tagged.


	4. Chapter Four

Dino is a baby.

This is how Jihoon will always see him; even when Dino does something particularly impressive, to Jihoon, it’s precociousness. That's probably unfair, considering how much Jihoon hates exactly this when people do it to him, but Dino is the youngest, and this is his burden to carry, fair or not. 

He figures Dino has a crush on Soonyoung. 

He has no real evidence for that, beyond a gut feeling. The two of them spend so much time together, they work together so closely, and Soonyoung is handsy. Where the rest of the group likes to tease their maknae, Soonyoung has no hangups about treating Dino as an equal, which Dino obviously craves more than anything, and to have a hyung like that, as an alpha - to Jihoon, it seems inevitable. 

Circumstance meant it could never develop beyond a crush, though. Soonyoung and Seokmin were all over each other before either one of them presented, let alone by the time Dino matured into his scent. Soonyoung was spoken for before Dino was even a viable partner, and Jihoon assumed Dino had made peace with that. 

But maybe not. 

This mess with the hotel rooms. It's not the first time they've shared beds with Dino, but it is the first time he's slipped and used his alpha voice on them, and Jihoon thinks this must have made Dino's feelings for Soonyoung more pointed – again, just his gut. But it makes sense. After a small taste of something you've been craving, you'd want more.

Dino doesn't apologize for giving them an alpha command, but he's awkward and distant, and Jihoon figures that means he feels guilty. The next night, Dino shares a bed with Soonyoung, and Jihoon is barely surprised to wake up to the sound of an alpha rumbling. 

Jihoon would scoff, but even across the room, Dino's rumble is like a deep, thorough massage. It's hard to do anything but sigh as tension eases out of his body. 

_Tomorrow..._ he thinks to himself as he melts into the sheets, feeling Seungkwan do the same in sleep beside him. He'll talk to Dino about it tomorrow… _courting, jealous alphas… all bad..._ Those are his delirious thoughts as Dino's rumbling lulls him into a peaceful, deep sleep.

Dino's aggressive and wild the next day, though. He's with the other alphas, who are riled up in turn by Dino's energy, and they mess around through the morning until they get too restless to be kept inside. They go out to the empty parking lot in the afternoon and work themselves to exhaustion playing soccer. 

Sharing a bed with Dino that night is Jihoon's first real chance to say something. This isn't normally the kind of conversation Jihoon would have, not with anyone. He doesn't offer relationship advice or try to mess with his dongsaeng's decisions. He's not looking forward to it, but he's not _worried_ when he brings up the fact that he heard Dino rumbling for Soonyoung, and he's not at all prepared for the response he gets. 

"Why didn't you say anything?" Dino asks. He does not sound guilty, like he usually would after a stern word from his hyung. He looks Jihoon dead in the eye, already knowing the answer, the one that is obvious and too embarrassing for Jihoon to say out loud. Dino does it for him. "Ah. You liked it." 

Dino moves in closer, and Jihoon flinches back, less out of fear and more because he's realizing that there might be more going on than he first guessed. 

He has no idea what Dino is going to do next, and even like this, on edge, ready for anything, he's blindsided when Dino rumbles, again, closer, and directed at Jihoon.

His mind goes blank. 

Seokmin sometimes rumbles for Jihoon, Jeonghan has, and Mingyu has. Seungcheol does, too. Like skinship, it's nice in its time and place. Comforting. 

Nothing has ever felt like this, a heat scorching up, from his loins to his neck, to his cheeks. 

He rolls away from Dino, toward the wall, quickly, before he can see the impact the sound had on him. 

-

Back when they were young, when they were trainees, Jihoon treated Seungcheol the same way he did anyone else. Seungcheol made it clear pretty fast that there'd be consequences for that, though. When Jihoon shoved Wonwoo or Mingyu or Soonyoung, they just took it, but Seungcheol shoved right back. 

This was exhilarating – it was, at times, the best part of Jihoon's day. Seungcheol, who never handled Jihoon with kid gloves, who respected him and challenged him, a hyung Jihoon admired, there was never awkward moments between them. With the others, it felt like Jihoon was constantly trying to come up with ways to translate his thoughts and feelings into words that were less harsh, that he'd come across as cold or cruel without ever trying. This was never a problem with Seungcheol, they were blunt and clear with one another, and their affection for each other was the same.

Until the day Seungcheol presented, and walked into the training room smelling like a deep forest. Heavy, intimidating, and _alpha_.

The roughhousing stopped sharply there. But Jihoon still remembers - wrestling. Grabbing, shoving. Seungcheol above him, on his hands on knees. Seungcheol wasn't holding him down, but his stare, his eyes alone, so intense and bright, kept Jihoon on his back. Neither of them really understood what they were doing, then. Jihoon just assumed it was because Seungcheol was the oldest, but it felt like a surrender Jihoon could accept, being put on his back by Seungcheol. 

Asleep, the burning, ever-shifting arousal in Jihoon's mind assembles his memories into something more pleasing: Seungcheol holding him down, not hovering a safe distance away, and not a child. His full weight, as a man, on top of Jihoon's. His thigh, muscled and thick, between Jihoon's legs. Jihoon shivers, flexing around the sturdy weight that won't be moved, that's solid enough for Jihoon to grind against, grind into.

He is asleep though, and his body knows it. It won't be tricked, and this frustrates his dream self, trapped and aroused and unable to roll his hips or touch himself or do anything about the hot interest churning inside other than stare up at Seungcheol. 

Jihoon knows Seungcheol's expression, he looked at Jihoon with this heat all the time as a teenager. Hot. Wanting. He hasn't stared at Jihoon like this in years, though, and it's clear, now, in this dream, why it stopped. 

It's dangerous. 

Jihoon whines, unable to stand it, shifting his body against Seungcheol as much as he can - and this wakes him up. 

He blinks in the dark hotel room, and finds it empty except for Seungkwan, who is on his phone. 

Jihoon licks his lips, settling back down. He's wet. He's pooling slick. This has never happened to him before, not while asleep and not out of heat. He feels tingly and sensitive, and when he suddenly remembers his dream, almost moans at the mental image of Seungcheol's intense face. 

Would he look at Jihoon like that in reality? 

Seungcheol used to chase after Jihoon, and Jihoon, presenting late as an omega and too busy for anything like that, was not interested. Seungcheol stopped. Maybe Jihoon regrets that, now. 

He waits for Seungkwan to leave the room, then allows a hand to drift, slowly, to his crotch. He closes his eyes again. The feelings of arousal build, but remembering the dream feels too intimate - too much. He settles a less intimidating memory - Seungcheol at the gym. Hauling weight.

Jihoon swallows, the low simmering interest in his gut flared to life as he pictures the muscles in Seungchoel's shoulders and back flexing. Seungcheol is a protective and impressive alpha. He never stands in anyone's way, he trusts the strengths of his members, but he's always there, always, without fail, to catch them when they fall. To help lift a load that's too much on their own. 

Jihoon's hand moves, focusing on where it feels best on his cock, stroking up, and up, toward the sensitive head. God. Seungcheol's body is heavy with strength, even after lazing around for months at a time, he becomes soft, but there's latent, always present ropes of muscle in his body, in his shoulders. In his hands. 

Jihoon's breath goes deeper, heavy panting, head tilting back as he strokes up and down his length. 

Seungcheol's smell. Undeniably alpha - another memory. Seungcheol lifting Jihoon clear of the floor, up onto a higher step. The feeling of his hands on Jihoon's hips, hoisting him up. Jihoon was so _annoyed_ that day, Seungcheol was doing it to show off and Jihoon had been cold to him for hours because of it. Now he remembers how it felt, Seungcheol's arms, flexing as he lifted him up, how obviously _easy_ it was for him, things that had enraged him before have him groaning, pushing his thighs tight together, remembering the phantom warmth from his dream. He's eager and ready for it, worked himself up properly and wishing he could rut off on Seungcheol's thigh, with his arms around Seungcheol's shoulders, digging his nails into the muscle there – 

He comes, and it leaves him breathless, exhausted, like he's accomplished something particularly difficult. 

Eventually recovering, Jihoon wobbles to the bathroom on unsteady legs, cleaning himself off. He returns to the room and takes down the bedsheets, balling them up on the foot of the bed so housekeeping will know to replace them. 

Dino's nose is sensitive for an alpha, and the idea of him catching the scent of Jihoon pleasuring himself – after what Dino did last night. It's too humiliating to bear. 

He needs to talk to Seungcheol about this, he thinks, and walks toward the door, then pauses. 

Maybe – maybe Jeonghan. He's close to Dino, too. Talking to Seungcheol, after what he just did. What he just thought about. Even the thought is making his ears go red.

Tonight, Dino is sharing a bed with Seungkwan, and Jihoon figures this is safe enough. Last time they shared a bed they spent the entire time awake fighting. 

But tomorrow, Jihoon will tell one of the alphas, one of his hyungs, he concerns. 

-

Of course it doesn't work out like that.

Jihoon wakes slowly from his drop, finding himself nuzzled up against Dino like a needy, pathetic thing. 

He should recoil immediately, but is too sleepy to be bothered. This is strange, but it doesn't feel _bad_. He’s calm, coming back to himself at an unhurried pace, observing the scene he's found himself in with distant interest.

The room is full of his member’s voices in serious debate Beside Jihoon, a pleasant weight pressed close along his other side, is Soonyoung, his thigh thrown over Jihoon's legs. Seungkwan is sitting toward the edge of the bed, reaching out to regularly pet and pat at Jihoon's calf and foot. Jihoon stares at the movement of his hand as he listens to them talk. 

"We can get sitting tickets, but with how unstable everything is, in a cramped space like that…"

"How long is the drive by car? Four hours?"

"Yeah, about that. The train is two, almost three."

Joshua, Jeonghan, and Seungkwan talking. Jihoon listens quietly, processing that. They must be talking about going home, back to Seoul.

"We could split up. Send the alphas and betas on the train."

"The omegas in a car?"

"Ehhh, if anyone found out the omegas traveled without a chaperon… "

"I don't think they should be apart from Dino right now anyway." Hansol's voice is quiet. 

Jihoon's brow creases at that. Why would – they need to be with Dino? And – why is he curled up alongside Dino like this? Why does it feel – important that he should be here, like it's the right place to be, the safest – 

The safest place. 

It clicks. 

It's a feeling he's only ever had toward his father as a young child, then leader of the church his family attended, and then, finally, Seungcheol. 

Jihoon starts extracting himself from Dino, slowly, horrified, locking eyes with Dino as he goes. _Now_ Dino looks sheepish???. 

"Jihoon?" Jeonghan asks. "Are you with us?"

"Where's Seungcheol?" Jihoon asks, pushing Soonyoung's leg off, stopping in surprise when he hears metal crinkle. He blinks down at his hand. A crumpled coke can. A foggy memory – _Thirsty? Hyung?_ Jihoon shakes his head and tosses the empty can toward the trash. 

No one answers, and Jihoon looks around the room, to a sea of awkward stares. 

"What?" he asks. 

"Seungcheol's – downstairs with Mingyu, but," Jeonghan stops there, hesitating, and Jihoon realizes he's trying to break some awful news.

"What?" Jihoon asks. "We're canceling the show – that's what you were all talking about? Going back to Seoul? And – and _Dino-ssi_ is – pack alpha now. Anything else?"

They all gape in surprise, stares going over Jihoon's head, toward Dino. Jihoon reconsiders what he said. His tone. It was heavily sarcastic. 

"Jihoonie," Dino says, and Jihoon feels the prickling, distinct sensation of a displeased pack alpha. Dino's tone is measured and polite, but Jihoon knows the irritation it hides very well. What was once a reason to tease Dino further now feels like a warning, one Jihoon knows to take seriously. 

Jihoon risks a glance behind him and sees Dino watching him. He doesn't look sheepish anymore. He looks Jihoon up and down. He waits. Normally not one to be bothered by silence, Jihoon is off balance, and Dino's silent displeasure is incredibly affective.

"… Sorry," he mutters. 

Dino nods once, lips curling up into a smile. Maybe smug, Jihoon's not sure, too unsettled. 

Jeonghan takes a seat on the edge of the bed, between them, and Jihoon is leaning into him before thinking twice about it. Everything about this is horrifying, he was scolded by the pack alpha which would shake anyone, and the pack alpha is _Dino_ now, and least important but still present, his pathetic, bruised, festering pride. Jeonghan's steady presence and scent soothes all of it, his hand in Jihoon's hair, combing through it. 

"We're going back to Seoul and we're going to form a real pack," Jeonghan says.

"We _were_ a real pack," Jihoon mutters, and it comes out more pathetic than he wanted. A real pack with Dino as the alpha? Was this Dino's decision??

"Not officially," Minghao says. "Which is why…" he waves his hand over the room, gesturing toward this entire mess. 

"We'll have a real classing where we pick our alpha and then seal it," Jeonghan says, gently. 

Jihoon nods. The sudden, intense need for Seungcheol is a surprise. Not as an alpha, particularly, but as his friend, the one he's known longer than anyone else. This is insane. He wants to talk to Seungcheol about it. 

"We think it's – probably best if we don't shake things up too much until then," Jeonghan says, using the careful tone he does when he wants to avoid stepping on the pack alpha's toes. Because Dino is in the room, and it's Dino's prerogative, to make these decisions, to speak for himself. "So Seungcheol's traveling to Seoul with us, and then the omegas will be with Dino."

He can't see Seungcheol. He's not allowed. He knows this sort of thing, a drop, a new alpha, all of it, can make an omega emotional, but he does not expect his eyes to sting. He clears his throat and nods again. Jeonghan's hand pets up and down Jihoon's shoulder, and Jihoon is grateful, as always, for Jeonghan's tact, that he doesn't say anything about it. 

The plan is to check out of the hotel in the afternoon once they've rented a van for the omegas. 

It doesn't take long, and they end up leaving first, herded into the van in their heavy winter gear, luggage packed by staff. 

Jihoon's already got his headphones out, determined to spend the entire trip as removed from this entire mess as possible, but once they climb inside, Dino wants Seungkwan to sit next to him, pulling him close to do just that.

Jihoon loses his entire mind. 

He grabs Seungkwan's hand on the other side, and _yanks_ him back, away from Dino, snarling, and Seungkwan stumbles. 

"Jihoon – " 

"Hyung, it's okay – "

No, it's not. Dark images fill Jihoon's head, of the night before, of what Dino did, to Seungkwan and Soonyoung. He bears his teeth, hating the sight of him touching them again. 

"_Jihoon_," it's not Dino's alpha voice, but he's pack alpha and he's upset, so like before, it hits hard. Jihoon swallows, his snarl wavering, but he pushes Seungkwan more securely behind him, toward Soonyoung. 

The partition opens between the driver and the passengers with a displeased snap.

"You all need to sit down back there! We're moving!" 

"Really, it's okay," Seungkwan is saying behind him, and he tugs, gently, on Jihoon's sleeve, encouraging him to sit down on the bench, while he gets up, and sits beside Dino. 

This is the kind of growing pain any new pack would have to go through. If Dino was to be the real pack alpha, he would have a hard time asserting his authority with Jihoon, likely this sort of scene would have to play out day after day for months before Jihoon accepted him. Accepted him touching Seungkwan, or Soonyoung, or Jihoon himself.

Jihoon glares, but Seungkwan seems perfectly comfortable beside Dino. 

"Hey," Soonyoung says, softly. Pulling Jihoon's irate attention away from the scene, toward himself. "You know we're okay, right? It's going to be okay." Soonyoung is making deliberate, pointed eye contact, trying to force his message through. "We're going to see Seungcheol again."

Jihoon blinks rapidly at the name, his mind clearing. It's true. Seungcheol will come back. Seungcheol will fix all of this. "Sure," Jihoon says.

Suddenly Soonyoung smiles. "You know, this is the most omega I've ever seen you act. Aaah, you're really growing up Jihoonie."

It's a tease, playful and loving, if anything. Intended to make Jihoon laugh, or annoyed, as a distraction from what's happening.

But as he looks over at Dino, sitting with Seungkwan curled up against him, expression knowing – it stings. To realize that he really can't call _Dino_ the baby, can he?

– 

Wonwoo can smell it building almost the second the omegas drive out of the parking lot. 

He exchanges a look with Jun, who also smells it, and clearly understands what it means, but he only sighs heavily and shrugs. He's not wrong – there's really nothing else they can do at this point except let it play out. 

The pack under Dino is new and weak. Nothing is sealed, no one's really bonded with him as alpha. 

Alphas don't like things being unsteady to begin with. They like a firm standing. They'll follow their leader, if their leader is sturdy enough. This sort of uncertain situation would put any alpha on edge, attempt to right it. 

There's also three alphas who feel like they have a claim to at least one of the omegas who just drove off, and for good reason. Hansol and Seokmin are practically mated to theirs, and Seungcheol has been their leader over a half a decade. 

The posturing begins as they pack their bags. Mingyu, strong and especially good shape after preparing for a photoshoot last week, picks up Hansol's luggage without asking, and carries it down the stairs. 

"You could've taken the elevator, hyung," Hansol calls after him, doing a poor job of hiding his annoyance, but Mingyu only laughs it off. 

At the bottom of the stairs, after dropping off the luggage for staff, Seungcheol is in the mood to roughhouse. Wonwoo can hear the laughter as he starts shoving Mingyu, but he also sees Mingyu fall back, and the tense expression on his face. 

This is when Joshua notices. He's significantly less relaxed about it than Jun, giving Wonwoo a horrified look. 

Wonwoo just half shrugs. What can they do?

"Let's – try to keep them separated as much as we can," Joshua says. 

Wonwoo agrees, but that's only half the problem. 

Eventually the alphas are going to make it back to the dorms, and they'll meet up with each other again. 

They'll have worked themselves into a frenzy at that point, to be the best, strongest, most virile alpha, and they'll all be ready to do whatever it takes to prove it, whether the omegas are ready or not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> reminder that the mpreg tag is there for a reason. I know i've eased off that for the last few chapters but it's gonna be making a cb.


End file.
